Department for Transport

Schools: Roads

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with (a) Cabinet colleagues, (b) City of York Council and (c) other local authorities to help improve road safety outside schools.

Mr Richard Holden: On 29 January 2022 we updated The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists and pedestrians by strengthening pedestrian priority on pavements and at crossings and introducing the Hierarchy of Road Users, which places those road users most at risk in the event of a collision, including children, at the top of the hierarchy. The Highway Code makes it clear that those in charge of vehicles that can cause the greatest harm in the event of a collision bear the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they pose to others and highlights the need to take care and be particularly aware of young cyclists and pedestrians near schools. Local authorities have a range of traffic management measures available to them to help improve safety outside schools. These include 20mph speed limits, traffic calming, and introduction of a School Street where appropriate. Local authorities, have the power to set speed limits on their roads. Authorities are also enabled to place advisory part-time 20mph speed limits signs in the vicinity of schools without the need for Government approval. It is for local authorities to determine what measures are appropriate in individual cases. They have the local knowledge making them the best placed to do so. The Gear Change plan for walking and cycling (2020) included a number of steps which will support and increase safety of active travel to school, including increasing the number of School Streets (a timed restriction of motorised traffic at the start and end of the school day). The Department for Transport plans to publish School Streets guidance for local authorities in due course.

Aviation: Universal Service Obligation

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing public service obligation routes for air travel on regional connectivity.

Jesse Norman: Existing policy to support domestic connectivity provide public service obligations (PSOs) to protect routes into London that are in danger of being lost. The Government jointly funds three routes from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry. In addition, 17 PSOs operate entirely in Scotland connecting the Highlands and Islands, funded by the Scottish Government. The Department continues to consider how PSOs, alongside other policy measures, could help to meet regional connectivity, union connectivity and levelling-up objectives.

Shipping: Crew

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the (a) value and (b) duration is of the contract between his Department and KPMG for research into internet connectivity for seafarers.

Mr Richard Holden: The total contract value is £95,000. The contract was designed to run from 19th December 2022 - 28th February 2023, with provision built in to enable work to be extended if required at no additional cost to the department.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has provided recent guidance to local authorities on the prioritisation of (a) potholes, (b) surface deterioration and (c) other road repairs.

Mr Richard Holden: Well-planned maintenance to prevent potholes and other defects from forming in the first place is vital, and the Department advocates a risk-based, whole life-cycle asset management approach to all aspects of the local highway network. The Department encourages good practice in highway maintenance through channels such as the Well Managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice produced by the UK Roads Leadership Group. To assist local authorities in treating potholes and other road defects, in March 2019 the Department worked with the Association of Directors, for Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport to publish Potholes: a repair guide.

Railways: Disability

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the accessibility of rail travel for people with disabilities.

Huw Merriman: We have completed accessibility audits at over 98% of mainline stations in Britain and expect to finish this work by April.

Railways: Freight

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to set a target of trebling rail freight by 2050.

Huw Merriman: The government is committed to introducing a long-term rail freight growth target, recognising the economic and environmental benefits of moving goods by rail.My officials are currently working with the Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) to develop options.The government’s rail freight growth target will be announced in autumn and will be evidence-based, taking into account feedback from industry, particularly drawn from the Call for Evidence that ran last year.

Railways: Tickets

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of discontinuing paper rail tickets on people with epilepsy and who have difficulty using online services.

Huw Merriman: The Plan for Rail set out our ambitions to roll out digital ticketing and we will consider the needs of all users when considering how to move forward with rail ticketing. Passengers should have access to a ticketing system which is user-friendly, where help and advice from a trained representative is available and is accessible to all.

Railways: Fares

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to help ensure return train fares and tickets are maintained for commuters.

Huw Merriman: As part of the Plan for Rail, we committed to simplifying fares and modernising ticketing. We recently announced that Pay As You Go would be rolled out to 52 more stations in the south east and that we would extend simplified, single leg pricing to the rest of the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) network. Commuters using Pay As You Go in the south east will be able to tap in and out to make their return journey, and those travelling on LNER will be able to easily mix and match ticket types to get the best tickets for their return journey.

Scotland Office

Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla: Stone of Destiny

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Parliament on arrangements for the return of the Stone of Scone for the Coronation.

Mr Alister Jack: Under the terms of a Royal Warrant granted in 1996, the Commissioners for the Safeguarding of the Regalia are charged to safeguard, repair and preserve the Stone of Scone and to ensure the Stone can be used in the Coronation of future Sovereigns. The Cabinet Office and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are working with the Scottish Government, Historic Environment Scotland and the Commissioners on the movement of the Stone for the Coronation of King Charles III, as part of the preparations for the Coronation proceedings.

Deposit Return Schemes: Scotland

Sir Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the proposed deposit return scheme in Scotland requires notification to the World Trade Organization under the Technical Barriers to Trade procedure.

Mr Alister Jack: At this stage, the Scottish Government has not raised a requirement for WTO notification with the UK Government. Devolved Administrations are aware of WTO obligations and the need to fulfil transparency obligations at the WTO as necessary.

Attorney General

Attorney General: Minimum Wage

Justin Madders: To ask the Attorney General, whether her Department has contracted work to a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme within the last 3 years.

Michael Tomlinson: The Attorney General’s Department have not contracted any work to the businesses named in the scheme. All employers need to pay their staff correctly. Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it’s the law. Under the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme, employers who have previously broken minimum wage law can be publicly named. The Department for Business and Trade follows a clear and thorough process allowing firms to make representations against being named if they meet our published criteria. Details of Government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Department of Health and Social Care

Skin Diseases: Telemedicine

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential (a) merits of teledermatology and (b) impact of teledermatology on the level of waiting list backlogs caused by covid-19 in England.

Will Quince: While the Department has not made a formal assessment of the potential merits of teledermatology or the impact of teledermatology on waiting list backlogs caused by COVID-19 in England, the Department continues to support the National Health Service in working to ensure the recovery and transformation of all elective services, including for patients with skin conditions. This includes providing record levels of funding and setting direction through the elective recovery delivery plan published last year. NHS England’s outpatient recovery and transformation programme published a teledermatology roadmap in 2021. The outpatient recovery and transformation programme has also introduced a number of initiatives such as using advice and guidance and the virtual teledermatology two-week wait pathway, as well as patient initiated follow-up and remote consultations, all of which provide opportunities to reduce the number of patients attending face-to-face appointments. This means capacity can be released for patients that need to be seen face-to-face, such as those with extensive inflammatory skin disease. Through these approaches, NHS providers are tackling the backlogs caused by the pandemic and transforming service provision for all patients.

Patients: Digital Technology

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of using digital technology to help patients stay safe in their homes; and if he provide funding for the provision of that digital technology.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Social Services: Technology

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with technology companies on how they could help support domiciliary social care provision.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Heart Diseases: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time was to receive an EGC heart monitor assessment for patients in the North Easington Primary Care Network as of 1 March 2023.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Heart Diseases: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data his Department holds on the number of EGC heart monitors available to patients in the North Easington Primary Care Network as of 1 March 2023.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps Department has taken to increase awareness of Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes amongst NHS staff.

Helen Whately: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Birth Rate

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department is taking steps to help increase the birth rate.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Birth Rate

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the decline in the birth rate.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Birth Rate

Bell Ribeiro-Addy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the decline in the birth rate.

Maria Caulfield: The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Dental Services: Finance

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral answer of 11 January to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Fleetwood from the Prime Minister, Official Report column 552, what the evidential basis is for the statement that there are now more NHS dentists across the UK with more funding; to what funding the Prime Minister was referring; and where it is allocated.

Neil O'Brien: State funded healthcare is a devolved matter outside of England, and is the responsibility respectively of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Governments.With regard to National Health Service dentistry in England, the number of NHS dentists doing work has increased from 22,799 in 2010/11 to 24,272 in 2021/22. This is an increase of 6.5%. Further data requested is due to be published in August 2023.

Patients: Digital Technology

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of using (a) wearables, (b) digital watches and (c) other devices to provide data to help patients manage their ill health.

Neil O'Brien: Both the Department and NHS England have regular conversations with tech companies with regards to the potential for developing and using digital tools including wearable devices. NHS England has been or is currently involved in work that uses wearables to support conditions including Parkinsons, cardiac rehabilitation and diabetes.

Patients: Digital Technology

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps to pilot programmes assessing the potential merits of digital wearable devices in helping to improve people's health and wellbeing.

Neil O'Brien: The Department and NHS England are both undertaking pilot programmes involving the use of digital wearable devices to support health and wellbeing. This includes both health incentives and condition specific monitoring.

HIV Infection: Screening

Nicola Richards: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 23 February to Question 147435 on HIV Infection: Screening, what criteria he will be using to assess whether his department will further expand opt-out HIV testing in areas with a high HIV prevalence.

Neil O'Brien: When examining the feasibility of further expanding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) opt-out testing to areas of high prevalence, we will assess its contribution to finding cases of undiagnosed or untreated HIV and preventing further HIV transmissions in the areas it is currently being rolled out. This will be considered alongside data on progress towards our ambitions to end new HIV transmissions, acquired immune deficiency syndrome and HIV-related deaths within England by 2030, including the estimated number of people living with undiagnosed HIV, published regularly by the United Kingdom Health and Security Agency through the HIV Action Plan Monitoring and Evaluation Framework.

Dental Services: Finance

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much and what proportion of funding for units of dental activity was (a) not used and (b) handed back to NHS England in the (i) 2021-22 financial year and (ii) 2022-23 to date.

Neil O'Brien: The information requested is not held centrally.NHS Business Services Authority data for 2021/22 provides the performance adjustments relating to financial recoveries for Units of Dental Activity which were not delivered, this data is available at the following link:https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/dental-data/nhs-payments-dentistsThe final recovery figures for 2022/23 are not yet available.

Ophthalmic Services: Standards

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Eye Health Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services remains current.

Bob Blackman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what regulatory measures are in place to help ensure that NHS England complies with the statutory duties and procedures set out in the Eye Health Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services.

Neil O'Brien: NHS England are currently updating the Policy Book for General Ophthalmic Services, previously known as the Policy Book for Primary Ophthalmic Services, and this will be published in due course. The policy book is subject to regular reviews to ensure it reflects contractual and regulatory changes, and NHS England operating procedures.The statutory duties placed upon NHS England to deliver Primary Ophthalmic Services are set out in section 115 of the NHS Act 2006. The Policy book published by NHS England provides guidance for commissioners in managing General Ophthalmic Services contracts in line with the NHS Act and associated regulations. This includes processes for contract applications, contractual compliance and post-payment verification, as well as the general duties that NHS England must comply with, as set out in the NHS Act.

Bowel Cancer: Health Services

Peter Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress his Department has made on reducing waiting times for bowel cancer referrals.

Will Quince: To reduce waiting times, including in bowel cancer referrals, the Government has taken steps by working with NHS England to publish the delivery plan for tackling the COVID-19 backlogs in elective care in February 2022. To deliver this plan, the Government plans to spend more than £8 billion from 2022/23 to 2024/25 to help drive up and protect elective activity, including cancer diagnosis and treatment activity. Diagnostics are crucial part of all cancer pathways. The Government awarded £2.3 billion at the 2021 Spending Review to transform diagnostic services over the next three years. As part of this investment, up to 160 new Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) will deliver additional, digitally connected, diagnostic capacity in England, providing patients with a coordinated set of diagnostic checks, including for cancer. To date, there are 92 CDCs currently operational that have delivered over 3 million additional tests since July 2021, including vital cancer checks.The National Health Service is also continuing to roll-out faecal immunochemical tests (FIT) to support the clinical triage of patients on the lower gastrointestinal cancer pathway, with a clear expectation set out in NHS England’s 2023/24 Operational Planning that at least 80% of Faster Diagnosis Standard for lower gastrointestinal referrals should be accompanied by a FIT result.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Medical Equipment

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency process for registering medical devices facilitates an adequate level of supply of safe medical devices.

Will Quince: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) intends to strengthen the regulation of medical devices as set out in the Government’s response to the consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in the United Kingdom. Availability of medical devices remains a key consideration as we develop this future regime, including aspects on medical devices registration.The MHRA continues to recognise the importance of availability of medical devices in the UK, and is taking a variety of steps to help ensure continuity in supply of medical devices. Firstly, the MHRA will consider applications for an exceptional use authorisation where there is a clear clinical need for a device, that does not otherwise have a valid Conformité Européene (CE) or UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark, to remain on the market. We assess applications for European Union Allowance based on the needs of patients. The MHRA is also working to expand Approved Body capacity to enable more manufacturers to obtain UKCA marking. Four bodies have already been designated and a further six are progressing through the designation process, with more in the pipeline.In addition to this, the MHRA is working to ensure adequate transitional arrangements for its future regime for medical devices, including continued acceptance of CE marked medical devices taking into account the revised transitional arrangements for European Union (EU) medical devices regulations being progressed in the EU, which will apply in Northern Ireland. Finally, MHRA is working to ensure industry have clear guidance on registration requirements as the above progress and recently published an update on EU timeline revisions to support this.

Mental Health Services: Children

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Mental Health and Well-Being Plan Call to Evidence 2022, whether his Department has received submissions on mental health support for babies and toddlers; and whether evidence on that matter will be integrated into the Major Conditions Strategy.

Maria Caulfield: In response to the Mental Health and Well-Being call for evidence, we received over 5,000 responses from individuals and organisations representing a range of different views and groups including on babies and toddlers. These are being considered in the development of both the Major Conditions Strategy and separate Suicide Prevention Strategy.

Neurology: Health Services

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring health boards to establish specific agreements to treat functional neurological disorders.

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring health boards to accept referrals for treatment for functional neurological disorder.

Will Quince: No specific assessment has been made. As health is largely devolved, this is a matter for Welsh Government.

Medicine: Training

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the impact on numbers of applications to study medicine of barriers to student finance for those for whom medicine would be a second degree.

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of barriers to student finance for those studying medicine as a second degree.

Will Quince: No assessment has been made. Students studying medicine as a second degree can access a range of financial support from Student Finance England and through the NHS Bursary.

NHS: Coronavirus

Layla Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of ending the covid-19 (a) special leave and (b) sick pay provisions for NHS staff on 1 September 2022.

Will Quince: The Department introduced temporary non-contractual COVID-19 sickness guidance at the start of the pandemic, to ensure National Health Service staff received full pay should they be advised to self-isolate or become ill with COVID-19. As we learn to live with COVID-19, we have withdrawn this guidance. Staff who were on COVID-19 sickness pay have moved back to the normal terms and conditions (T&Cs) sickness arrangements. The NHS T&Cs pay up to six months full pay and six months half pay depending on length of service. We have completed an equalities assessment which concluded that the withdrawal of the guidance is considered to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim to equalise treatment of all staff with longer-term sickness absence.

Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency: Clinical Trials

Sir Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) average and (b) longest time taken by MHRA to evaluate a clinical trial was in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Will Quince: For the financial year 2018/19, the average time taken by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to assess a clinical trial was 23.29 days. The longest time taken was 56 days. For the financial year 2019/20, the average time taken by the MHRA to assess a clinical trial was 23.47 days. The longest time taken was 56 days. For the financial year 2020/21, the average time taken by the MHRA to assess a clinical trial was 21.43 days. The longest time taken was 49 days. For the financial year 2021/22, the average time taken by the MHRA to assess a clinical trial was 27.58 days. The longest time taken was 68 days. For the financial year 2022/23 (April 2022 – February 2023 inclusive), the average time taken by the MHRA to assess a clinical trial was 42.78 days. The longest time taken was 146 days.

Kidney Diseases: Research

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much from the public purse the Government spent on research into kidney disease in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22; and whether the Government plans to increase that funding in future years.

Will Quince: Over the period of 2019/20 to 2021/22, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has invested more than £30 million in funding and support for kidney disease research with £14 million in 2019/20, £8 million in 2020/21 and £11 million in 2021/22. Research into kidney disease has included, but is not limited to, projects exploring why people with kidney disease are at increased risk of death and disability following a heart attack, the relationship between COVID-19 and kidney disease and whether aspirin reduces the risk of major vascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease.NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including kidney disease, it is not usual practice to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality. Therefore, future spend on kidney disease research over future years is undetermined.

Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 February 2023 to Question 148627 on Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access, which (a) industry bodies, (b) patient organisations and (c) relevant civil society organisations have been invited to the workshops.

Will Quince: The following organisations have been invited to one or more of the stakeholder workshops:Industry bodies- Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry;- British Generic Manufacturers Association;- Ethical Medicines Industry Group; and- BioIndustry Association. Patient organisations and civil society organisations- Cancer52;- The Blood Cancer Alliance;- The Charity Medicines Access Coalition;- National Voices;- The Patients Association;- Alzheimer’s Research UK;- Anthony Nolan;- Cystic Fibrosis Trust;- Genetic Alliance UK;- The Association of Medical Research Charities;- Breast Cancer Now;- Myeloma UK;- Office of Health Economics;- King’s Fund; and- NHS Confederation.

Patients: Digital Technology

Rachael Maskell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the use of continuous medical monitoring platforms in supporting patients in the self-management of medical conditions.

Helen Whately: NHS England continues to support National Health Service organisations in increasing the use of continuous medical monitoring platforms.

Breast Cancer: Finance

Wendy Morton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to ensure that funding allocated to breast cancer screening units is not diverted into the symptomatic pathway.

Helen Whately: National Health Service breast screening services are commissioned with funds which are dedicated to the NHS Breast Screening Programme. The screening pathway at both the initial screening stage, and if further diagnostic testing is required, is conducted in clinics which only accommodate women who have attended invitations from the screening programme. Provision for women with symptoms is funded from other sources and via separate clinics.

Motor Neurone Disease

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people are diagnosed with motor neurone disease in the UK as of 1 March 2023.

Helen Whately: The information is not collected in the format requested.

Social Services: Qualifications and Training

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the white paper entitled People at the Heart of Care, published on 1 December 2021, whether it is still his policy to invest £500 million to improve the training and qualifications of the social care workforce.

Helen Whately: We are progressing the proposals in the People at the Heart of Care white paper on workforce training and development. In spring 2023, the Government will publish a plan for adult social care system reform. This will set out how we will build on the progress so far to implement the vision for adult social care set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper.

Skin Diseases: Health Services

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the level of variation in access to treatment for patients with inflammatory skin conditions in England.

Helen Whately: While the Department has not made any formal assessment, NHS England is working to ensure fair and equitable access to treatment for elective services in England, including for patients with inflammatory skin conditions.NHS England’s outpatient recovery and transformation programme has introduced a number of initiatives, such as the virtual teledermatology two-week wait pathway, as well as patient-initiated follow-up and remote consultations, all of which provide opportunities to reduce the number of patients attending face-to-face appointments. This means capacity can be released for patients that need to be seen face-to-face, such as those with extensive inflammatory skin disease. In addition, a document focusing on equity of access has recently been published and is available at the following link: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/ensuring-equity-of-access-to-care-when-redesigning-dermatology-pathways/

Health Services

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether it remains his policy to implement the policies in the white paper entitled People at the Heart of Care, published on 1 December 2021.

Helen Whately: This Government remains committed to the 10-year vision for adult social care set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper. We have made progress on implementing this vision since the white paper was published, including by supporting workforce capacity, increasing digitisation, developing our approach for improving oversight and enhancing the collection and use of data.In spring 2023, the Government will publish a plan for adult social care system reform. This will set out how we will build on the progress so far to implement our vision.

Skin Diseases: Health Services

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of referral services for patients with skin conditions; and whether he is taking steps to improve those services.

Helen Whately: While the Department has not made any formal assessment of the adequacy of referral services, the Department continues to support the National Health Service to recover all elective services, including for patients with skin conditions. This includes providing funding and setting direction through the elective recovery delivery plan published last year.Most adult and paediatric dermatology services are commissioned locally through integrated care boards. However, to support patients with more complex or severe conditions, NHS England directly commissions some specialised services for example specialised adult and child dermatology clinics. A recent NHS guide on referral optimisation for people with skin conditions outlines how systems can implement specialist advice and guidance. The approach enables local systems to embed personalised care, strengthen the primary and secondary care interface, and streamline collaboration between generalists and specialists so that more patients can be treated closer to home.

Members: Correspondence

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to respond to the the letter of 8 December 2022 from All-Party Parliamentary Groups on investment in the specialist workforce for children and young people.

Maria Caulfield: The letter was responded to by Minister Coutinho of the Department for Education on 23rd January 2023, as the relevant minister.

Department for Education

Education: Standards

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that pupils not in school due to industrial action are supported in catching up on missed learning.

Nick Gibb: The Government has made a serious offer to the leaders of the National Education Union (NEU) to pause the planned strikes and to engage with the Government on talks about pay, conditions and reforms.This same offer has been accepted by unions representing nurses, ambulance workers and physiotherapists, all of whom have agreed to pause their strike action and meet for talks.The Department is disappointed the NEU has thus far refused this offer and has not called off strikes.My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has been clear that it is in the best interests of parents, children and teachers up and down the country for the NEU to take up the offer, like the health unions, and put an end to this dispute.The Department knows that the best place for pupils to be for their education, physical, and mental health is in schools with their friends and teachers.The Secretary of State wrote to every school in January setting out the additional funding each school in England would receive following the £2 billion of additional funding announced for schools in the Autumn Statement 2022. This additional funding will support schools with increased costs and was a request from unions, which the Government delivered. The Secretary of State also wrote to union leaders on 27 January, asking the NEU to encourage their members to inform their head teachers if they intended to strike, and on 21 February, requesting the NEU call off future strikes in order to proceed with formal talks on pay, conditions, and reform.Alongside engaging with unions, the Department has taken steps to mitigate the effects of any disruptive strike action on pupils’ education and wellbeing. In the Department’s updated guidance on handling strike action in schools, the Department confirmed that if a headteacher needed to restrict attendance as a last resort, they should prioritise school places for vulnerable children, children of critical workers and pupils who are due to take public examinations and other formal assessments. Headteachers have also been asked to do all they can to ensure pupils continue to have access to education on strike days, including through online teaching. The Department has also provided advice to schools through bulletins, and to parents through the Department’s Education Hub. To further support pupils not in school due to industrial action, the Department has updated its remote education guidance.The Department has also made almost £5 billion available to support pupils’ education recovery from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department is funding what it knows works, such as teacher training and evidence based support, including tutoring and extra education opportunities.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Dr Lisa Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the report entitled Early evaluation of the children and young people’s mental health trailblazer programme, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Research on 20 February 2023.

Claire Coutinho: The department welcomes the findings of the report. Trailblazer sites have been instrumental in the successful roll out of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) to 26% of pupils in schools and learners in further education. This has been achieved a year ahead of schedule.The findings reveal substantial progress in implementing MHSTs, as well as some positive early impacts, despite challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include improved school and college staff knowledge and confidence in dealing with mental health issues. Many education settings, MHSTs and wider delivery partners agreed that the programme will lead to a number of positive outcomes, including improving children and young people’s understanding of mental health and wellbeing.The MHST programme has evolved since the Trailblazers were launched, but the findings of this report will continue to help inform future rollout and mobilisation of MHSTs to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and young people. Over 500 MHSTs are expected to be operating by 2024.Work is already underway with partners to ensure that we use the learning to inform current and future practice. Since the MHST Trailblazers became operational in 2018/19, the Education Mental Health Practitioner curriculum has been strengthened in response to feedback on needs such as learning disabilities and autism, challenging behaviour and support for parents. The department is also working with the education sector and mental health experts to protect and promote staff wellbeing. Initiatives include the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter and a new one-to-one counselling and peer support scheme for 2,000 school leaders, delivered by the charity, Education Support.The findings of this report, as well as the 2021 interim evaluation and a planned phase 2 longer-term outcome evaluation, will continue to inform MHST roll out and drive improvements in evidence-based mental health and emotional wellbeing support for children and young people.

Special Educational Needs: Coastal Areas

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) children with and (b) schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in seaside towns have an adequate level of support.

Claire Coutinho: On 2 March 2023, the department published the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Improvement Plan in response to the Green Paper published in March last year. The Improvement Plan outlines the government’s mission for the SEND and AP system to fulfil children’s potential, build parent’s trust, and provide financial sustainability. It is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1139561/SEND_and_alternative_provision_improvement_plan.pdf.The department will improve ordinarily available mainstream provision with new national SEND and AP standards to ensure we deliver consistent experience regardless of the school a child attends, where they live, or their family background.The department will reduce bureaucracy through new standardised education health and care plans, using digital technology wherever possible, and provide strengthened accountability across the system. To increase specialist provision locally, the department is investing £2.6 billion in special and AP places, including opening 33 new special schools, with a further 49 in the pipeline. We are also building a confident expert workforce, training up to 5,000 new early years special educational needs co-ordinators. Furthermore, an over 50% increase in high needs funding to over £10 billion by 2023/24, compared to £6.1 billion in 2018/19, will help children and young people with SEND in both special schools and mainstream schools to receive the right support.The department will test our key reforms by creating up to nine Regional Expert Partnerships through our £70 million Change Programme. Oversight of reform will be driven by a new national SEND and AP Implementation Board, jointly chaired by Education and Health Ministers.

Childcare

Helen Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the (a) availability and (b) affordability of childcare for the parents of (i) seriously ill and (ii) disabled children.

Claire Coutinho: The department knows that childcare is a key concern for parents, including those parents of seriously ill and disabled children, and that families and early years providers across the country are facing financial pressures. This is why the department has spent more than £20 billion over the past five years to support families with the cost of childcare.The department does not hold specific data regarding availability and affordability of childcare for parents of children who are seriously ill and/or disabled. The department assesses the availability and affordability of childcare for parents more generally.The key measure of sufficiency is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. Ofsted data currently shows that the number of places offered by providers on the Early Years Register has remained broadly stable since August 2015. Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. The department has regular contact with each local authority in England. If a local authority raises concerns about sufficiency issues, the department will support them with any specific requirements.This Government has doubled the entitlement for working parents of three and four-year-olds to 30 hours and introduced 15 free hours a week for disadvantaged two-year-olds. This offer extends to two-year-old children in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and/or with an Education Health and Care plan are eligible for the 15 hours free childcare entitlement for two-year-olds. On top of this, working parents on Universal Credit may be eligible for help with up to 85% of their childcare costs through Universal Credit to support with the costs of childcare.In Early Years, local authorities are required to establish a Special Educational Neel Inclusion Fund (SENIF) to provide additional top up funding to providers to improve outcomes for children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND). Funding for the SENIF can come from both the early years and high needs funding blocks of the dedicated schools grant. The National Funding Formula contains an additional needs element to take account of the number of three and four-year-old children with additional needs in an area.The Disability Access Fund is now worth £800 per eligible child per year, increased from £615 last year. For the 2023/24 financial year, it will again be increased to at least £828 per eligible child per year. The Disability Access Fund was introduced to support disabled children’s access to the entitlements for three and four-year-olds. Providers receive at least £828 per eligible child per year from the 2023/24 financial year. The funds can be used to support providers in making reasonable adjustments to their settings and/or helping with building capacity, be that for the child in question, or for the benefit of children attending the setting.The department will work with local authorities, providers, and stakeholders to establish whether changes to the SENIF and other associated elements of the wider current early years funding system are needed, to ensure early years SEND funding arrangements are appropriate and well-targeted to improve outcomes for all pre-school children with SEND, and to support the introduction of a national framework for bands and tariffs.

STEM Subjects: Education

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase the number of students taking STEM subjects.

Robert Halfon: The government is investing £3.8 billion more in further education (FE) and skills over this Parliament to ensure people can access high-quality training and education that addresses skills gaps and boosts productivity. We are working with industry to shape our training offers, creating more routes into skilled employment in key science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sectors, such as engineering, digital, clean energy, and manufacturing.The department is investing in Institutes of Technology, which are leaders in the provision of high-quality, higher level technical education and training across a range of STEM occupations and industries.We have worked with employers to develop over 350 apprenticeship standards in STEM. These same employer-led standards have shaped the design of T Levels, new Level 3 qualifications for 16-19 year olds that reflect modern industrial practice and include a 45 day industry placement. Fourteen of the 24 T Levels being rolled out are in STEM subjects, from Science to Digital Business Services, Engineering Design and Development to Onsite Construction.We are delivering supply and demand side reforms to reverse the decline in uptake of high-quality higher technical education. We’ve announced approximately £70 million to date in funding to prime FE and higher education higher technical provision across the country. Central to our reforms is the introduction of Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs). These are current (and new) level 4-5 qualifications, approved and quality marked by the Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education (IfATE) as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers. HTQ rollout is on track. They began teaching from September 2022, starting with Digital HTQs, and all occupational routes are due to be rolled out by 2025, where relevant occupational standards are available. To date, 106 qualifications have been approved as HTQs across Digital, Construction, and Health & Science routes, for teaching this year or next. Over 70 providers were able to deliver HTQs from September 2022, with the majority being FE colleges. We have introduced an HTQ brand and are improving communication, advice, and guidance. From 2023/24, HTQ student finance will be on a par with degrees.The department is investing to widen participation in STEM education in schools and increase the number and quality of STEM teachers. Since autumn 2022, early career teachers have been able to claim a levelling up premium (£3,000 tax free per year for up to three years) for teaching mathematics, physics, chemistry or computing in state-funded secondary schools that have been identified as having a high need for teachers. The department is funding tailored maths support for students and teachers through the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme, investing £84 million into National Centre for Computing education to drive increased participation in computer science and funding research programmes on how to tackle gender balance in STEM subjects.

Private Education: East Midlands

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of private schools on social mobility in the East Midlands.

Nick Gibb: The Government is committed to levelling up and spreading opportunity throughout the country, including in the East Midlands. There are no plans to undertake this specific assessment. The Department does regularly assess the effects of a range of factors on pupil attainment.The Department encourages independent schools to work in partnership with state funded schools to deliver activities across the areas of governance and leadership, teaching, curriculum and other targeted activities leading to school improvement. The Department has found that the partnerships that work most effectively tend to be based around the principles of sustainability, mutual benefit, and priority for high impact activities.The Department has a joint understanding with the Independent Schools Council (ISC) that sets out how the independent sector will work in partnership with state schools to help raise attainment and, in particular, help pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. Around 85% of ISC member schools are engaged in almost 7,000 mutually beneficial cross-sector partnerships with state funded schools. These schools share expertise, best practice and facilities to the benefit of children in all the schools involved.The Department is committed to ensuring that in every area, children are able to attend excellent schools, progress to high quality technical and higher education, and obtain good jobs.Significant support is also being provided for 55 Education Investment Areas (EIAs), to improve outcomes in those parts of the country where literacy and numeracy are the poorest, including six Local Authorities in the East Midlands region. These are Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, North Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire.Over the next three years, up to £86 million in trust capacity funding and £150 million for extending the Connect the Classroom programme are being prioritised in EIAs. The Department is also delivering higher payments of Levelling Up Premium tax-free annually for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers working in EIAs.Nottingham and Derby are Priority Education Investment Areas. These are 24 areas across the country with the highest rates of disadvantage where the Department is providing significant additional funding, including a share of around £40 million to address local needs and improve outcomes.

Ministry of Justice

Family Courts

Taiwo Owatemi: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make an estimate of the number of child residency decisions made in family courts in each of the last five years that have been based on findings by the court that parental alienation has taken place.

Mike Freer: Incidences of children who have been moved from one parental residence to another, as a result of parental alienation or alienating behaviours are not recorded centrally. Such information can only be obtained from individual case files at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Justice: Disability

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has a Ministerial disability champion.

Mike Freer: I was recently appointed as the Ministerial Disability Champion for the Ministry of Justice.I will work with the other Ministerial Disability Champions appointed in each Government Department to represent the interests of disabled people and drive forward progress on disability policy across government.

Probate

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how long the average wait time was for probate to be granted in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the longest wait time was for probate to be granted for applications made in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the shortest wait time was for probate to be granted for applications made in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Mike Freer: The average wait for all grant types to be granted in 2021 was 6.9 weeks and 7.1 weeks for July to September 2022.The longest wait time for Probate to be granted in 2021 was 87.3 weeks and 38.3 weeks in 2022. Cases can be delayed where more information is needed from the applicant, a caveat is in place or where cases are complex.The shortest wait time for Probate to be granted is 0 days in 2021 and 2022 (i.e. applied for and granted in the same day).Data provided are for grants issued up to the end of September as is published in the Family Court Statistics Quarterly National Statistics bulletin. This will be updated on 30 March 2022 with data to the end of 2022.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Israel: Palestinians

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the meeting of Jordanian, Egyptian, Israeli, Palestinian and US officials on 26 February 2023; and if he will make a statement.

David Rutley: As we made clear on 4 March in a joint statement with France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain, we warmly welcome the recent meeting in Aqaba, where Israelis and Palestinians both affirmed reciprocal commitments, including on efforts to de-escalate and work towards a just and lasting peace. The UK calls on all parties to make good on the commitments made in Aqaba to de-escalate tensions and to work constructively to ensure the next meeting in Egypt is a success.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: TikTok

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of devices owned by his Department that have TikTok installed.

Mr David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether it is his Department's policy to prohibit (a) officials and (b) ministers from using the TikTok app on their (i) work and (ii) personal electronic devices.

David Rutley: Departments are required to manage all applications and services on their networks, taking into account security and data protection risks.Authorisation and approval for the use of any individual application is subject to Departmental security policies and procedures. With regards to the threat to national security His Majesty's Government does not comment on these matters.

Israel: Palestinians

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help promote dialogue between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

David Rutley: We urge the Israeli and Palestinian leadership to take urgent action to de-escalate the growing tensions in the West Bank. We welcome the communique agreed by Israel and the Palestinians at Aqaba on 26 February, and thank the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan for hosting. The Minister for the Middle East, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, has consistently offered UK support in progressing dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians, including in his meetings with Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh and Foreign Minister Riad Malki, during his visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 10-13 January, and during his regular engagement with the Israeli Ambassador, most recently on 16 February.

Libya: Politics and Government

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to encourage reconciliation and political reform in Libya.

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that free and fair elections may take place in Libya.

David Rutley: More than year since failed elections in Libya, the political impasse continues without a clear route to elections, increasing the risk of violence and insecurity. The UK therefore supports the Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) Bathily's efforts to reinvigorate the UN-facilitated, Libyan-led and owned political process, including parliamentary and presidential elections. We call on all Libyan actors and key stakeholders to work with SRSG Bathily and the UN, to fulfil their responsibilities to the Libyan people on the political, security, economic and human rights tracks, in order to deliver long-term stability, security and prosperity.

Abdullah al-Huwaiti

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on the case of Abdullah al-Howaiti in the context of (a) the 2018 Juvenile Law, (b) the 2020 Royal Decree and (c) other commitments made by that country to end the execution of child defendants.

David Rutley: Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country, in part because of the increased use of the death penalty. The FCDO is monitoring the case of Abdullah Al-Howaiti. The Minister responsible for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, has raised the case on multiple occasions with the Saudi authorities, most recently in December 2022. We will continue to monitor and raise the case of Abdullah Al-Howaiti with the Saudi authorities.

Libya: Wagner Group

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the presence of the Russian private military company Wagner in Libya; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take steps to help remove the Wagner private military company from Libya.

David Rutley: The eastern-based General Haftar-led Libyan National Army has strong links to Russian Wagner Group which maintains a presence in Libya and uses Libya's open southern border as a route into the Sahel. The UK is working alongside our regional and international partners to foster long-term stability and address the drivers of conflict in Libya and the Sahel. We consistently call for the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries, including Wagner, without delay through the UN Security Council and with regional partners.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent conversations he has had with his Turkish counterpart on the delivery of aid to affected areas of the earthquake in the Malatya province of Turkey.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The Prime Minister spoke to President Erdogan on 7 February and the Foreign Secretary has engaged regularly with his Turkish counterpart on maximising the efficiency of aid deliveries in Turkey, including Malatya province, and across the Syrian border. The UK has committed a significant package of aid, including by delivering thousands of vital items such as tents and blankets to Turkey and Syria, totalling over 400 tonnes. Development Minister Mitchell also visited Turkey on 19 February to see the response first-hand.

International Monetary System

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has received guidance on the permissibility of treating donations of Special Drawing Rights as Overseas Development Assistance; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: · The UK does not donate Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), but has led in lending SDRs to International Monetary Fund (IMF) Trusts that support vulnerable countries. The UK scores Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) in line with international rules set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee (DAC).· The DAC conducted a review of the ODA scoring of SDR loans in 2022, which concluded that SDR loans to the IMF should no longer be scored as ODA, noting that countries that previously scored ODA on SDR loans, did so in accordance with interpretation of the DAC guidance at the time. His Majesty's Government is adopting the new DAC approach in our reporting from 2022.

Ukraine: Development Aid

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is planning to take to help support Ukraine in rebuilding its infrastructure.

Leo Docherty: The UK supports Ukraine's vision for rebuilding a sovereign, prosperous, democratic nation that is stronger than before Putin's invasion. We are hosting the 2023 Ukraine Recovery Conference in London on 21-22 June to bring together the international community to support Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction.UK Export Finance is supporting the Government of Ukraine with the rebuilding of six bridges. The UK has provided £22 million in direct support to Ukraine's energy sector, including £10 million to help repair Ukraine's energy infrastructure. We have also provided a £47.5 million guarantee for an European Bank for Reconstruction and Development loan to Ukrenergo, Ukraine's state-owned energy provider, to help ensure the continued provision of electricity to its citizens.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Sarah Champion: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding (a) the UK and (b) all other donors pledged at the International Ministerial Conference on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative 2022.

Leo Docherty: The Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) International Conference, hosted by the Foreign Secretary in November 2022, was a key opportunity to turn the dial on global action to prevent and respond to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV). At the Conference, the Foreign Secretary launched the UK's new PSVI Strategy, backed by up to £12.5 million of new funding.The UK also launched a new Political Declaration and secured endorsements from 53 countries and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Patten, as well as 40 national commitments detailing the tangible actions, including funding commitments, they will take to tackle CRSV.The national commitments made by the UK and other countries can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/conflict-related-sexual-violence-political-declaration-at-the-2022-preventing-sexual-violence-in-conflict-initiative-conference/international-ministerial-conference-on-preventing-sexual-violence-in-conflict-initiative-2022-national-commitments

Uzbekistan: Refugees

Alex Sobel: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with counterpart in Uzbekistan on support for Afghan refugees.

Leo Docherty: The UK continues to work closely with Uzbekistan on the evacuation of Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) eligible persons. The Foreign Secretary discussed cooperation on Afghanistan with the Uzbek Foreign Minister at the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Ministerial Council in December 2022. The Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, also discussed evacuations and securing safe passage for those fleeing Afghanistan on several occasions with his counterparts in the Uzbek Government during 2022, and during his visit to Uzbekistan in September 2021.

Turkey: Earthquakes

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of whether the Turkish government is distributing aid without discrimination against ethnicity and religion.

Mr Andrew Mitchell: The UK is working to ensure that aid reaches those who are most in need as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are working in close coordination with the Turkish authorities, the United Nations and NGO partners to ensure that aid makes it to those who are most in need, including vulnerable and minority communities.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Entertainers: USA

Nigel Adams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of making representations to US counterparts on that country's proposals to increase the costs of short- and long-term visas for touring performers.

Julia Lopez: Whilst US immigration policy is ultimately a matter for the US authorities, the UK Government has engaged with the US authorities on this matter to make clear the concerns that the UK music industry has about the increase in US visa costs.We are continuing to engage our counterparts in the US on this matter. In parallel, we have encouraged the music sector to respond to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services' consultation.My Department regularly engages across Government, and with the music sector, on issues concerning touring professionals.

Public Libraries

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department is taking steps to increase levels of physical footfall at public libraries of (a) children at key stage 1 and 2 and (b) other users.

Julia Lopez: The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 places a duty upon local authorities to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service. This duty includes having regard to encouraging both adults and children to make full use of the library service. It is for local authorities to ensure that their libraries provide services such as access to books, PCs and study space, as well as access to activities and events which meet residents’ needs and will therefore contribute to and encourage footfall.Libraries actively engage with a number of organisations and people to encourage visits and use of their services. This includes working with schools on a programme of class visits to encourage children to read for pleasure, to support schools with literacy, and to support parents with the home-learning environment, while also driving footfall. They are also actively engaged in specific initiatives aimed at school children such as the Holiday Activities and Food programme. Libraries also work in partnership with the Reading Agency to bring people of all ages into libraries each year through reading programmes, such as the Summer Reading Challenge, Reading Friends; through book issues, such as Reading Well and Quick Reads and attendance at themed events, such as the Big Jubilee Read and Story Trails.The Government has appointed Baroness Sanderson of Welton to chair an independent panel to help inform a new libraries strategy. Baroness Sanderson has visited a number of library services across the country to find out about their work, and is having numerous discussions with the libraries sector, plus partners and others with an interest in their work. These include organisations active in boosting and supporting children’s literacy work such as the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians, The Reading Agency, National Literacy Trust and BookTrust.Baroness Sanderson is also running a series of deep-dive discussion sessions at libraries around the country, themed on different aspects of libraries’ work. Four have already been held (covering culture, health and well-being, communities, and digital), with five others planned through to the middle of May (covering learning, business support and employability, reading, governance and blue-sky thinking).

Video Games: Recruitment

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what schemes are available to help UK video games studios recruit skilled staff from overseas.

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what schemes are available to help UK video games studios hire more graduates and young people.

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what grants and incentive schemes are available to help video games studios invest in research and development.

Julia Lopez: The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.To help recruit skilled staff from overseas, the Home Office launched a dedicated Temporary Work route for creative workers. This route maintains generous provisions for creative workers, allowing them to enter the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended by a further twelve months in some circumstances.This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme.

Gambling Commission: Public Appointments

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of requesting that the Gambling Commission list knowledge of the gambling industry as a formal requirement in job adverts for Commissioners.

Stuart Andrew: Appointments to the Gambling Commission are made in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. The Code states that Ministers must be consulted before a competition opens to agree the job description for the role. The requirements of all roles are carefully based on the needs of each organisation and the existing skills and experience on boards, while ensuring that roles attract applications from the broadest range of suitable candidates possible.

Gambling Act 2005 Review

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to publish the Gambling Review white paper.

Stuart Andrew: The Gambling Act Review is wide-ranging and aims to ensure that gambling regulation is fit for the digital age. We will publish a White Paper setting out our conclusions and next steps in the coming weeks.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit

Beth Winter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Written Statement of 27 February 2023 on Additional Jobcentre Support – Pilot rollout, HCWS582, if he will publish the details of his scheme to recognise and reward jobcentre teams who furthest exceed their aspirational targets.

Guy Opperman: DWP publishes the total value of non-consolidated performance related pay annually, this information is published on Welcome to GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Further information on the scheme is included in the written statement published on gov.uk on Monday 27 February 2023.

Pension Credit

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24 of February 2023 to Question 148650 on Pension Credit, what is the current average processing time of Pension Credit applications from date of application to date of (a) decision and (b) first payment.

Laura Trott: This information is only available at disproportionate cost to The Department for Work & Pensions as the Department does not have a business requirement for this information to be retained.

State Retirement Pensions: Uprating

Tonia Antoniazzi: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what process his Department has for determining which countries the UK will have reciprocal agreements with for up-rating pensions.

Laura Trott: I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 146826 on 27 February 2023.

Support for Mortgage Interest: Chronic Illnesses

Jess Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made on the adequacy of Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) assistance for those suffering from a long-term illness; whether his Department is taking steps to ensure SMI repayments remain sufficient for those suffering from a long-term illness; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing alternative mortgage products for those who are in receipt of benefits on a long-term basis.

Mims Davies: Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) provides support for all homeowners who qualify for an income related benefit and unable to meet their mortgage repayments due to short or long-term illness, unemployment, a personal crisis, or other income shock. SMI helps people maintain their existing, reasonable mortgage commitments so they can remain in their home providing effective protection against repossession for as long as they need it. As announced in the Autumn Statement, from 3rd April, we will extend the support SMI provides by reducing the qualifying period from nine months to three and extending eligibility to Universal Credit (UC) claimants with earnings. These changes will strengthen the protection SMI provides by offering support quicker and to more people. There are no planned further changes. No assessment has been made of the potential merits of introducing alternative mortgage products for those who are in receipt of benefits on a long-term basis.

Universal Credit: Hendon

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of households on Universal Credit in the Hendon constituency had that benefit capped as of 1 March 2023.

Guy Opperman: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. The available information on the number of households receiving Universal Credit (Full Service only) and subject to the benefit cap, by month and Westminster parliamentary constituency, is published every three months on Stat-Xplore and the latest statistics are available to August 2022. The number of households on Universal Credit by month and Westminster parliamentary constituency, is published monthly on Stat-Xplore and the latest statistics are available to November 2022.

Flexible Support Fund: Universal Credit

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2023 to Question 151284 on Flexible Support Fund: Universal Credit, on how many occasions in each of the last five years have Work Coaches awarded that funding; and what the value of the funding awarded was in each of the last five years.

Guy Opperman: Information relating to the volume of awards from the Flexible Support Fund is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Information relating to expenditure on the Flexible Support Fund for the last 5 audited years is available within the answers provided to PQ 155126 & PQ 155127. PQ 155126 PQ 155127

Social Security Benefits

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the Equality Analysis of the changes made to the Benefit Cap due to come into force on 1 April 2023.

Guy Opperman: The Secretary of State has complied with his duties under the Equality Act 2010 in respect of the statutory review of the benefit cap levels and the changes that will come into force from 1 April 2023.

Social Security Benefits

Drew Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will made of an assessment of the potential merits of working with the Office for National Statistics to use their experimental analysis articles on the different levels and impacts of inflation between the highest and lowest disposable income households to help decide (a) working age and (b) non-working age benefit payments.

Guy Opperman: Successive Governments since 1987 have used the relevant price index for the year to September in the conduct of the statutory annual review of State Pension and benefit rates. The Secretary of State currently uses the Consumer Prices Index for this purpose. At the present time there are no plans to change this approach.

Universal Credit

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of (a) HM Revenue and Customs mileage rates, (b) uniform costs, (c) car parking charges and (d) other unavoidable costs of working on universal credit claimants who are in low-paid frontline public service roles.

Guy Opperman: No such assessment has been made as the Department does not routinely collect data on the sectors in which Universal Credit claimants work, because this does not affect entitlement to UC However, we are currently exploring what additional information we could collect to help work coaches support claimants in their search for work.

Low Incomes: Single People

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will consider the potential merits of providing financial assistance to people on low incomes who live alone.

Guy Opperman: Universal Credit (UC) already supports people who are on a low income, or out of work and helps to ensure that they are better off in work than on benefits. It provides claimants with the support they need to prepare for work, move into work, or to earn more if already in work. It is based on the claimant’s personal circumstances, and this is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. There are separate rates for single people and couples. Independent, free and anonymous benefit calculators are available that can help individuals to see what benefits they may be entitled to, and how their benefits are affected if they start work or increase their hours. Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)In addition to address the pressures people are facing that is why the Government has provided cost of living support worth over £37bn in 2022/23. To ensure stability and certainty for households, in the Autumn Statement the Government has announced further cost of living support for 2023/24. Full details of all the comprehensive cost of living support can be found via the following link at: https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/

Universal Credit

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the Equality Analysis of the changes made to the Administrative Earnings Threshold for Universal Credit which came into force in (a) September 2022 and (b) January 2023.

Guy Opperman: The Department has completed an Equality Analysis for both of the changes made to the Administrative Earnings Threshold.

Universal Credit: Disqualification

David Linden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Benefit sanctions statistics to October 2022 (experimental) and pursuant to the Answer of 27 September 2022 to Question 49219 on Social Security Benefits: Disqualification, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the deterrent effect of benefit sanctions on Universal Credit claimants who have been subject to repeat adverse sanction decisions in the last year.

Guy Opperman: There are currently no plans to undertake further research on sanctions.

Local Housing Allowance

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the Local Housing Allowance in the context of the cost of living crisis.

Mims Davies: The Local Housing Allowance policy is kept under regular review, we monitor average rents and housing support levels provided to claimants to assess the impact of the policy. In April 2020 Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates were raised to the 30th percentile of local market rents, a significant investment of almost £1 billion, we have maintained the increase since then so that everyone who benefited from the increase continues to do so. LHA rates are not intended to cover all rents in all areas. For those who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs and need further support. Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are available from local authorities. Since 2011 the Government has provided nearly £1.6 billion in DHP funding to local authorities We recognise that rents are increasing. However, the challenging fiscal environment means that difficult decisions were necessary to ensure support is targeted effectively. The Government announced substantial cost of living support for 2023/24 in the Autumn Statement. This is intended to provide stability and certainty for households and includes Cost of Living Payments for the most vulnerable, meaning around 8 million households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to a further £900 in Payments in 2023/24. In addition, to protect the most vulnerable, benefits and state pensions will be increased by 10.1% in 2023-24.For those who need additional support the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable a further extension to the Household Support Fund in England over the 2023/24 financial year. In England, this scheme will be backed by £842 million, running from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, which local authorities will use to help households with the cost of essentials. It will be for the devolved administrations to decide how to allocate their additional Barnett funding.

Local Housing Allowance

Dr Rupa Huq: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the freeze of the Local Housing Allowance ahead of the March Statement.

Mims Davies: The Secretary of State meets regularly with the Chancellor across the full range of DWP business in the lead up to a fiscal event. These discussions are sensitive and we are not able to disclose information regarding these meetings.

Self-employed

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish a sectoral breakdown of the industries in which people his Department deems gainfully self-employed work.

Guy Opperman: The Department does not routinely collect data on the sectors in which Universal Credit claimants work, including self-employed work, because this does not affect entitlement to UC. However, we are currently exploring what additional information we could collect to help work coaches support claimants in their search for work.

Cost of Living Payments: Entertainers

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of how many people in the entertainment industry will be excluded from the Government’s Cost of Living Payments as a result of the Minimum Income Floor reducing their Universal Credit entitlements to zero.

Guy Opperman: No estimate has been made, the Department does not routinely collect data on the sectors in which Universal Credit claimants work, including self-employed work, because this does not affect entitlement to UC. However, we are currently exploring what additional information we could collect to help work coaches support claimants in their search for work.

Universal Credit

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written Statement of 27 February 2023, HCWS582, on Additional Jobcentre Support: Pilot Roll-out, if he will publish a list of the 90 jobcentres that will be involved in the pilot.

Guy Opperman: As announced in the Secretary of State’s written statement of 27 February 2023, the Additional Jobcentre Support pilot is expanding to include an additional 60 jobcentres across Central Scotland, Surrey & Sussex, West Yorkshire, Leicestershire, and Northamptonshire.Within the pilot, we will also test a scheme to recognise and reward jobcentre teams who furthest exceed their aspirational targets. The reward scheme will be rolled out to 30 of the 60 jobcentres testing enhanced daily support and an additional 30 jobcentres. Further updates on the progress of the pilot will be made in due course. Upon completion of the roll-out the following 90 jobcentres will be participating in the pilot: AldershotGlasgow City CentralNorthamptonAshton-Under-Lyme (Tameside)GloucesterPaisleyBarrheadGosportPark Place – LeedsBathGovanPartick (POC)BexhillGuildfordPontefract (POC)Bognor RegisGuiseleyPooleBordenHalifaxPudseyBradford Eastbrook CourtHastingsRenfrewBradford Westfield HouseHavantRushdenBristol Broadwalk Shopping CentreHaywards HeathRusholmeCamberleyHemsworthSeacroftCampbeltownHinckleyShettlestonCastlefordHorshamShirehamptonCastlemilkHuddersfieldSouthern House - LeedsCheetham HillKeighleySpen ValleyChichesterKetteringSpringburnChippenhamKirkintillochStainesCoalville (POC)LauriestonStockportCorbyLeicester Charles StreetStretfordCoshamLeicester Wellington StreetSwindonCrawley (POC)LewesTodmordenCrawley Forest GateLittlehamptonWakefieldDaventryLoughboroughWellingboroughDewsburyMarket HarboroughWeston Super MareDidsburyMelton MowbrayWeybridgeDrumchapelMineheadWeymouthEastbourneMorleyWokingEcclesNewhavenWorthingEpsomNewlandsWythenshaweFromeNewport Isle of WightYeovil

Universal Credit: Overpayments

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many overpayments of Universal Credit have been attributed to Official Error in each of the last three years; and what the total value of those overpayments.

Tom Pursglove: We do not hold data on actual Universal Credit (UC) overpayments as requested, as there is no requirement to categorise UC debt because it is all recoverable in law.  However, our national statistics on Fraud and Error in the benefit system provide information on the estimated value of UC Official Error, both as a percentage of benefit expenditure and by value. For UC the figures show that UC Official Error loss has fallen from 1.3% (£250m) in 2019/20, to 0.9% (£330m) in 2020/21, to 0.7% (£270m) in 2021/22. The statistics do not cover the number of overpayments made across the year but indicate how many cases were estimated to have an overpayment of this type, at a point in time. In 2019/20 the figure stood at 4.1%; in 2021/22 it was 2.6%.   Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2021 to 2022 estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) DWP remains committed to working with anyone who is struggling with benefit debt deductions and encourages customers experiencing hardship to contact DWP to discuss their repayment plan.

Universal Credit: Overpayments

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the value is of overpayments within Universal Credit attributed to Official Error recovered In each of the last three years.

Tom Pursglove: We do not hold data on actual Universal Credit (UC) overpayments as requested, as there is no requirement to categorise UC debt because it is all recoverable in law.  However, our national statistics on Fraud and Error in the benefit system provide information on the estimated value of UC Official Error, both as a percentage of benefit expenditure and by value. For UC the figures show that UC Official Error loss has fallen from 1.3% (£250m) in 2019/20, to 0.9% (£330m) in 2020/21, to 0.7% (£270m) in 2021/22. The statistics do not cover the number of overpayments made across the year but indicate how many cases were estimated to have an overpayment of this type, at a point in time. In 2019/20 the figure stood at 4.1%; in 2021/22 it was 2.6%.   Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2021 to 2022 estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) DWP remains committed to working with anyone who is struggling with benefit debt deductions and encourages customers experiencing hardship to contact DWP to discuss their repayment plan.

Universal Credit: Overpayments

Ms Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in how many cases where the claimant had previously been advised no overpayment had occurred a Universal Credit overpayment attributed to Official Error has been identified in each of the last three years.

Tom Pursglove: We do not hold data on actual Universal Credit (UC) overpayments as requested, as there is no requirement to categorise UC debt because it is all recoverable in law.  However, our national statistics on Fraud and Error in the benefit system provide information on the estimated value of UC Official Error, both as a percentage of benefit expenditure and by value. For UC the figures show that UC Official Error loss has fallen from 1.3% (£250m) in 2019/20, to 0.9% (£330m) in 2020/21, to 0.7% (£270m) in 2021/22. The statistics do not cover the number of overpayments made across the year but indicate how many cases were estimated to have an overpayment of this type, at a point in time. In 2019/20 the figure stood at 4.1%; in 2021/22 it was 2.6%.   Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2021 to 2022 estimates - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) DWP remains committed to working with anyone who is struggling with benefit debt deductions and encourages customers experiencing hardship to contact DWP to discuss their repayment plan.

Ministry of Defence

Antitank Missiles

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the announcement made on 7 December 2022, what the total cost will be of the 500 Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon units of which his Department is due to take delivery in 2023.

Alex Chalk: In December 2022 the UK secured a £229 million contract for Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon (NLAW) systems. The contract was for several thousand units to be delivered to UK Armed Forces between 2024 and 2026 and followed an initial agreement for 500 NLAW units with an accelerated delivery in 2023. These 500 units are included in the overall contract cost of £229 million.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2022 to Question 61739, what recent estimate he has made of the number of applications that have been (a) received and (b) granted under the scheme allowing former armed forces personnel discharged over sexuality to apply to have service medals restored.

Dr Andrew Murrison: Since the policy announcement on the restoration of medals in February 2021, the Ministry of Defence has received eight applications for the restoration of medals.   A disregard for any previous conviction is a pre-condition for the restoration of an honour or medal. Of the eight applications, one veteran has obtained a disregard for a previous conviction and has had medals returned. A number of the other seven applications remain under review in light of the introduction of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and potential implications for convictions for which disregards are available.

Colchester Garrison

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) size in hectares and (b) housing unit potential is of Roman Barracks.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) size in hectares and (b) housing unit potential is of Goojerat Barracks.

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) size in hectares and (b) housing unit potential is of Bassingbourn Barracks.

Alex Chalk: It is not possible to separate Roman Barracks and Goojerat Barracks as they form part of the wider Colchester Garrison. Colchester Garrison is 254.834 hectares in size. Bassingbourn Barracks is 290 hectares in size. No assessment has been made of the Housing Unit Potential of these sites, as they have not been identified for disposal.

Challenger Tanks

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2023 to Question 155052, when the decision was made to allocate funding to for the integration of an Active Protection System onto the Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank; and how much that funding is.

Alex Chalk: Funding for the integration of an Active Protection System onto the Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank was provisioned alongside the approval of the Full Business Case in March 2021. It would be inappropriate to confirm the amount of funding allocated whilst commercial negotiations with the supplier are ongoing.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 1 March 2023 to Question 152200 on Military Aircraft: Helicopters, for what role the H135 aircraft for project MATCHA were originally procured; and for what reason it was decided that those aircraft were no longer required for the procured role.

Alex Chalk: This information is being withheld as disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness, or security of the Armed Forces.

Military Bases: Heating

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Defence Procurement to the Rt hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne, dated 27 February 2023, in the context of the 24,536 reported maintenance issues related to a lack of heating since April 2022, how many of those issues were reported in accommodation housing children under the age of 16.

Alex Chalk: This information is not held in the format requested and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Military Bases: Heating

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the letter from the Minister for Defence Procurement to the Rt hon. Member for Wentworth and Dearne, of 27 February 2023, in the context of the 24,536 reported maintenance issues related to a lack of heating since April 2022, if he will break that figure down by military base.

Alex Chalk: This information is not held in the format requested and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Military Bases: Heating

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the letter of  27 February 2023 from the Minister for Defence Procurement to the Rt hon. Member for Wentworth and Deane, how many of the maintenance issues related to a lack of heating since April 2022 were reported in accommodation in (a) the North West, (b) the North East, (c) the West Midlands, (d) the East Midlands, (e) the South West, (f) the South East, (g) Yorkshire, (h) the East of England, (i) London, (j) Wales, (k) Scotland and (l) Northern Ireland.

Alex Chalk: A breakdown of the total number of maintenance issues related to a lack of heating since April 2022 can be found in the following table, for the four regions covered by the four Future Defence Infrastructure Services (FDIS) Regional Accommodation Maintenance Services (RAMS) contracts: RegionsTotal number of maintenance issues related to a lack of heating since April 2022Central:5,658North:3,275Southeast:7,862Southwest:7,741TOTAL: 24,536 The Department are only able to break down the 24,536 maintenance issues relating to a lack of heating since April 2022 by the four MOD contractual regions. A further breakdown is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Home Office

Refugees: English Language

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of English lessons on the ability of refugees residing in hotels to integrate into the local community.

Robert Jenrick: Councils with bridging hotels in their area have been commissioned by the Home Office to deliver hotel wraparound support to people on the Afghan resettlement schemes. As part of the wraparound support, Local Authorities should provide English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) support for residents to support integration and enable guests to move on to permanent accommodation and settle into new communities, access jobs and services. Local Authorities who resettle families will also receive £850 for English language provision for adults requiring this support. This funding is available to Local Authorities who resettle families under the 3-year ACRS/ARAP scheme with effect from 1 September 2021. Those over the age of 19 will have immediate access to funding through the Department for Education’s Adult Education Budget and be eligible for fully funded ESOL courses. Additionally, DLUHC is supporting the Home Office to develop an integration package for the Afghan families, which includes a further 12-month support package for English (ESOL) of £850 per adult.

Marriage: Fraud

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to which part of her Department people who believe their marriage to a foreign citizen is fraudulent should report this information.

Robert Jenrick: Where a relationship has broken down, the UK sponsor of the relationship can report this to the Home Office on GOV.UK at the following address:Visas when you separate or divorce: Tell the Home Office - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).Each referral to the Home Office will be considered on an individual basis and a decision will be taken as to whether it is appropriate to cancel the former partner’s permission to stay in the UK.Where a migrant has no remaining leave or if the sponsor wishes to report that they believe they have been a victim of a sham or fraudulent marriage, a report can be made at the following address:Report an immigration or border crime - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Asylum: Hotels

Anthony Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has a target date for decommissioning hotel accommodation for asylum seekers.

Robert Jenrick: The rise in the number of small boat crossings has placed significant pressures on local authorities and the asylum system. The use of contingency accommodation is only ever a short-term solution to ensure that we meet our statutory obligation to house destitute asylum seekers.We are taking a range of steps to reduce our dependency on hotels to support those already in the asylum system. All local authority areas in England, Scotland and Wales became an asylum dispersal area by default in April 2022. This is increasing the number of suitable properties that can be procured for destitute asylum seekers across the UK, ensuring a fair spread across the country and reducing our reliance on hotels.

Asylum: Applications

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason claimants who need to complete the asylum claim questionnaire have been given 20 working days to respond to that form.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance on streamlined asylum processing published on 23 February 2023, what estimate her Department has made of the number of recipients of the asylum questionnaire who will be unable to respond to that questionnaire within 20 working days.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential barriers to claimants of returning the asylum questionnaire for streamlined asylum processing within 20 working days.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what provisions are in place for those asylum seekers unable to read or write English and who may be unable to access an immigration advisor within the 20-day time frame for submitting an asylum claim questionnaire.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the guidance entitled Streamlined asylum processing published on 23 February, for what reason her Department has chosen to publish the asylum claim questionnaire in English only.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department takes to ensure asylum applicants receive the asylum claim questionnaire.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's definition is of a reasonable explanation for not returning an asylum claim questionnaire within 20 working days.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claim questionnaires her Department plans to send to claimants in each month from February 2023 to December 2023.

Robert Jenrick: On 13 December 2022, the Prime Minister pledged to clear the backlog of the 92,601 initial asylum ‘legacy’ claims – this relates to historical asylum claims made before 28 June 2022. The Streamlined Asylum Process is one way in which we will clear the backlog and policy guidance on this was published on 23 February 2023 (Streamlined asylum processing - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). On the same day, questionnaires began to be sent out to legacy claimants from Afghanistan, Eritrea, Libya, Syria and Yemen to their most recently recorded correspondence address. These countries have been included in the streamlined asylum process on the basis of their high-grant rate of 95% or higher and over 100 grants in the year-ending September 2022 of protection status (refugee status or humanitarian protection). All questionnaires should be dispatched to eligible claimants by the end of March 2023. Claimants must inform the Home Office of any changes to their contact details, to ensure that they continue to receive all relevant communications regarding their claim. The asylum claim questionnaires are in English as is generally the case for immigration paperwork across the Department. If necessary, claimants can utilise legal representatives, Non-Government Organisations and other support networks to help them respond to the questionnaire. For those who are unable to return the questionnaire within 20 working days, a reminder will be sent to the claimant allowing a further 10-working days to complete and return it to the Home Office. A further extension can be requested where the timeframe cannot be met, for example because the claimant has serious medical conditions which is impacting their ability to respond to the questionnaire. The intention of these questionnaires is to enable claimants to provide any further information about their claims after their initial screening interview which, in turn, could lead to a positive decision being taken without an additional interview.

Members: Correspondence

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 17 January 2023 to Questions 125431 and 125432 on Members: Correspondence, how many of those enquiries remain outstanding.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office has no outstanding correspondence received from Members before 1 July 2022. It returned to providing responses within service standard in January 2023.Data about intake and performance in answering Hon. Members correspondence are published quarterly with the latest Quarter available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/customer-service-operations-data-q4-2022.The Home Office expects to publish performance data for January to March 2023 in late spring.

Vetting: Disclosure of Information

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to require all of an applicant’s previous names to be displayed on a DBS certificate.

Miss Sarah Dines: The purpose of a criminal record certificate issued by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is to assist employers and others to make safer recruitment decisions by providing details of an individual’s criminal history. A criminal record certificate will include and any other names that they may have used in the past. The DBS also offers a sensitive applications route which takes into account both the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the Equality Act 2010. This gives transgender applicants the choice not to have any gender or name information disclosed on their DBS certificate that could reveal their previous gender identity. Those applying via the sensitive applications route are required by law to provide all name details to the DBS, including any previous identity, in the same way as applicants using the mainstream route. The criminal record certificate issued by the DBS will contain exactly the same criminal record information as a certificate obtained via the main route, including any relevant convictions, cautions or other information dating from when the applicant had a different gender identity.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registered sex offenders are recorded as having changed their (a) name and (b) gender.

Miss Sarah Dines: The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to manage sex offenders and those who pose a risk, and we are committed to ensuring our system is as robust as it can be.Registered sex offenders are required to notify their personal details to the police - including their name, date of birth and bank details - annually and whenever these details change. Failure to comply, including providing false information, is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years' imprisonment.Data on registered sex offenders is published in the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report. The most recent report was published by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October. It shows that on 31 March 2022, there were 66,741 registered sex offenders in England and Wales. Data on the number of registered sex offenders who have changed their name or gender are not centrally collected.We have strengthened police powers through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 with new provisions that came into force on 29 November. To help ensure our processes are as robust as possible, the Home Office has conducted an internal review into the issue of offenders changing their name and the name change process to ensure it as robust as possible.

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Andrew Lewer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many registered sex offenders have changed their (a) name and (b) gender in each of the last three years.

Miss Sarah Dines: The UK has some of the toughest powers in the world to manage sex offenders and those who pose a risk, and we are committed to ensuring our system is as robust as it can be. Registered sex offenders are required to notify their personal details to the police - including their name, date of birth and bank details - annually and whenever these details change. Failure to comply, including providing false information, is a criminal offence punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.Data on registered sex offenders is published in the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) Annual Report. The most recent report was published by the Ministry of Justice on 27 October. It shows that on 31 March 2022, there were 66,741 registered sex offenders in England and Wales. Data on the number of registered sex offenders who have changed their name or gender are not centrally collected. We have strengthened police powers through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 with new provisions that came into force on 29 November. To help ensure our processes are as robust as possible, the Home Office has conducted an internal review into the issue of offenders changing their name and the name change process to ensure it as robust as possible.

Convictions: Prerogative of Mercy

Abena Oppong-Asare: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to commence Part 12 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022.

Miss Sarah Dines: The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. Under Part 12 of that Act, the Government legislated to extend the scope of the current Disregards and Pardons Scheme under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. This change will enable a greater number of individuals convicted or cautioned for now repealed or abolished offences that regulated sexual activity between people of the same sex to apply to the Secretary of State for their conviction and/or caution to be disregarded, as long as they also satisfy the relevant conditions. The Home Office has been making the necessary preparations and aims to bring the provisions into force as soon as possible.

Asylum: Children

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to page 10 of the National Transfer Scheme Protocol for Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, Version 4.0, what proportion of transfers under the National Transfer Scheme of unaccompanied asylum seeking children not in the care of a local authority are taking place within five working days of a referral.

Robert Jenrick: pressures on local authority care placements for young people. Out of necessity, and with the best interests of the child in mind, we have had no alternative but to temporarily use hotels to give unaccompanied children a roof over their heads whilst local authority accommodation is found.1,727 transfers from hotels took place from 24 August 2022 to 27 February 2023, of which 886 (51.3%) transferred within 5 working days. The time it takes for a local authority to identify a placement varies and has meant some young people experiencing delays in transferring. Delays may also occur where a child refuses to transfer to the placement. The National Transfer Scheme (NTS) transferred 4,187 children to local authorities with children’s services between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2022. This is more than a fourfold increase in number of children transferred compared to the same period in previous years. In order to expand the scheme further, we are providing local authorities with children’s services with an additional £15,000 for every eligible young person they take into their care from a dedicated UASC hotel by the end of February 2023. The safety and wellbeing of those in our care is our primary concern. Robust safeguarding and welfare procedures are in place to ensure all children and minors are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with a local authority. This includes support workers being onsite in the hotels 24 hours a day, supported by nurses and social workers. UASC are not detained and are free to leave the accommodation. All contingency sites have security staff and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.

Abuse and Violence: Retail Trade

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) USDAW and (b) the British Retail Consortium on taking steps to help tackle abuse and violence towards retail workers; and if she will make a statement.

Chris Philp: The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable.The Home Office continues to work closely with retailers, trade associations and the police through the National Retail Crime Steering Group (NRCSG). The NRCSG, which I co-chair with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), brings together Government, the retail industry and law enforcement in our response to tackle retail crime – especially focussing on tackling violence and abuse against retail workers. USDAW is an active member of this group.The Home Office has been working with members of the NRCSG, through a number of Task and Finish groups, to produce resources to help prevent violence and abuse in retail settings, including resources to support victims when these crimes do occur. The published resources are all available on the NRCSG webpage on the BRC website here: Violence and Abuse Against Shop Workers (brc.org.uk)

Public Spaces Protection Orders

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the the fine imposed on Adam Smith-Connor in Bournemouth in December 2022; and whether she plans to have a discussion with the Attorney General on a review of the provisions of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 relating to the power to make Public Space Protection Orders in respect of fundamental rights of freedom of thought and religion.

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of the restrictions imposed by public spaces protection orders around abortion clinics with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Sir Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the (a) proportionality of the balance between freedom of expression and assembly and public order and (b) effectiveness of public spaces protection orders around abortion clinics.

Chris Philp: Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities can impose Public Space Protection Orders to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public space. A local authority may impose a Public Space Protection Order if satisfied on reasonable grounds that activities carried on in a public place have, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality.Public Space Protection Orders have been imposed outside a number of abortion clinics, including in Ealing, Richmond, Manchester, Birmingham and Bournemouth.Decisions regarding what restrictions are imposed are matters for local authorities, which are required to act compatibly with the European Convention on Human Rights. This includes the balancing of Articles 9, 10 and 11 with Article 8 rights. The enforcement of PSPOs is a matter for local authorities and the police.

Fire and Rescue Services: Staff

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish data on the (a) ethnicity, (b) gender and (c) religious diversity of employees in the fire service.

Chris Philp: The Home Office collects data annually on the diversity of the Fireand Rescue Service workforce in England. These statistics are publishedhere: Fire statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). The statistics for the specific diversity characteristics can be found in the following tables:a) Ethnicity: FIRE1104b) Gender: FIRE1103c) Religion: FIRE1106

Anti-social Behaviour: Coastal Areas

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent steps her Department has taken to help reduce the level of anti-social behaviour in seaside towns.

Chris Philp: The Government is committed to tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour (ASB) wherever it may take place. We know the serious impact that persistent ASB can have on both individuals and the wider community.We provided the police, local authorities, and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to ASB through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers depending on the specific circumstances. They are best placed to understand what is driving the behaviour in question, the impact that it is having, and to determine the most appropriate response.The Home Office published statutory guidance to support local areas to make effective use of these powers. The guidance sets out the importance of focusing on the needs of the victim and the local community, as well as ensuring that the relevant legal tests are met. This guidance was updated in June 2022 to ensure a victim-centred approach to tackling ASB as well as stronger use of the powers and tools in the 2014 Act.The Home Office announced in March 2022 that ASB would be one of the primary crime and issue types being targeted in the next round of the Safer Streets Fund. This funding goes towards local projects aimed at increasing the safety of public spaces for all with a particular focus on addressing neighbourhood crime, anti-social behaviour and tackling violence against women and girls. At the end of July last year, we announced the outcome of Round Four of the Safer Streets Fund, investing an additional £50 million and supporting 111 projects across England and Wales.

Passports: Applications

Dame Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many passport applications took longer than three weeks to process in the final quarter of 2022.

Robert Jenrick: Of the British passports issued in the final quarter of 2022, 134,551 were from standard UK applications that had taken longer than three weeks. This represents approximately 12.7% of the total passports printed under this service during that period.The published guidance for processing applications under this service is up to ten weeks.*The processing time includes 2-days for delivery of the passport to the customer.

Migration: Forecasts

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what processes her Department has in place for forecasting irregular migration flows; and in what way her Department shares those forecasts with other departments.

Robert Jenrick: The Home Office assesses migration trends and plans for different projections flows through irregular migration systems based on different plausible scenarios.Plans, including the scenarios, are regularly shared with the Ministry of Justice and Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and, as required, with other government departments.

Refugees: English Language

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2023 to Question 153774, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of resuming its investigation into an early intensive language offer for refugees, following the conclusion of the Integration Fund.

Robert Jenrick: We recognise that the ability to speak English is key to helping refugees integrate into life in England and become self-sufficient. That is why the Refugee Employability Programme includes English language training to enhance the support provided to refugees arriving through safe and legal routes. We expect this service to start later this year. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/refugee-employability-programme/refugee-employability-programme-policy-statement.

Refugees: Mental Illness

Mr Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to help mitigate the risks posed to local people by asylum seekers with severe mental health issues in Bournemouth East constituency.

Robert Jenrick: The rise in the number of small boat crossings has placed significant pressures on local authorities and the asylum system.We take the safety and welfare of those in our care seriously and the Home Office has robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure those in our accommodation are as safe and supported as possible as we seek urgent placements with a local authority.Our providers are aware of the requirement to ensure that all service users are able to register with a local GP. During the induction process, which is carried out in multiple languages via the use of a translation service, the medical registration process is explained to all residents. This information is also displayed throughout the hotel. Staff at the hotel will support all residents to register with a GP practice. This extends to arranging appointments and transport to and from appointments if that is required. In the event of a medical situation that requires immediate attention, staff support by contacting 111 or 999 in an emergency.Anyone granted asylum, temporary protection or humanitarian protection under the Immigration Rules of section 3 of the Immigration Act 1971 is recognised as a refugee and able to access all health care services, including mental health care services, exempt from charges. We are committed to work to improve the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers, including through work with representatives from DHSC, National Health Service, Devolved Administrations and Non-Governmental Organisations to consider approaches to mental health support. The Government will also continue to use our safeguarding networks to identify the most vulnerable users of the asylum system and engage with the appropriate statutory agencies to provide the support they need. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has produced a Migrant Health Guide, which is a free-to-use, online resource designed to support primary care practitioners in caring for patients who have come to the UK from overseas. It includes information on asylum seekers entitlement to the NHS, guidance for assessing new patients, tailored health information specific to over 100 countries of origin and guidance on a range of communicable and non-communicable diseases and health issues.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Social Rented Housing: Greater London

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2023 to Question 143816 on Social Rented Housing: Greater London, what funding will be made available to social housing providers in London to meet that objective.

Rachel Maclean: The Government provides landlords with funding for new supply of affordable housing, including for regeneration schemes where that investment delivers net additional housing. However, we generally expect landlords to fund repairs and other regeneration themselves from the income they get from rents and their own market activities.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Minimum Wage

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has contracted work to a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme in the last 3 years.

Rachel Maclean: All employers need to pay their staff correctly. Paying the minimum wage is not optional, it is the law. Under the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme, employers who have previously broken minimum wage law can be publicly named.The department follows a clear and thorough process allowing firms to make representations against being named if they meet our published criteria.Details of Government contracts above £10,000 are published on Contracts Finder.

Local Housing Allowance: Sleeping Rough

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of freezes in the housing allowance on trends in the level of rough sleeping.

Felicity Buchan: The causes of rough sleeping are complex, and it is driven by a range of factors both individual and structural, which could include changes to households' income.The Government remains committed to ending rough sleeping within this parliament. We are investing £2 billion over 3 years to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping, including up to £500m in funding to local authorities through the Rough Sleeping Initiative, from 2022-25.

High Rise Flats: Safety

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2023 to Question 136709 on High Rise Flats: Safety, whether his Department retains data relating to the number of Large Panel System housing blocks in England over four storeys high that (a) have and (b) have not had their gas systems removed in each year since 2010.

Kate Osamor: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2023 to Question 136710 on High Rise Flats: Safety, for what forms of direct financial assistance from his Department local authorities can apply to help with the removal of gas systems in Large Panel System housing over four stories in England.

Lee Rowley: The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities does not collect data relating to gas connections to England's stock of large panel system housing blocks.The Government will deliver upgrades to over half a million homes in the coming years through our Social Housing Decarbonisation, Home Upgrade Grant Schemes, and Energy Company Obligation Scheme, all which are open to applications from local authorities.

Buildings: Insulation

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to safeguard tenants in buildings where the owner would qualify for the building safety fund to repair unsafe cladding but chooses not to apply to that fund because they are seeking to sell the freehold.

Lee Rowley: Building owners have a legal responsibility to make sure their buildings are safe. Where remediation works are required, they must take appropriate action without delay. Even if the building owner is intending to sell the freehold, it is not an excuse not to progress works to make the building safe. Where the freehold is sold, the new freeholder assumes all responsibilities and liabilities of the previous freeholder.

Office for Local Government

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much has been spent to date in establishing the Office for Local Government; and what estimate he has made of the future annual running costs of that office.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the number of full-time equivalent staff who will be required for the administration of the Office for Local Government.

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the number of buildings that will be required for the Office for Local Government; and where each office will be located.

Lee Rowley: The Office for Local Government has been initially set up as a unit within the department. The programme to establish the body is currently at a planning phase and further details will be set out in due course.

Holiday Accommodation

Sir Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what guidance his Department issues on the liability of holiday lets that are not habitable for permanent occupation to a higher rate of council tax as second homes.

Lee Rowley: Where a property is available for short-term lets for 140 days or more in a year, it will be assessed for business rates, rather than council tax, and would not be liable for a council tax premium.From April 2023, short term lets will need to be able to demonstrate 70 days of actual short-term letting activity, that they were available for 140 days in the previous year, and will be available for 140 days in the forthcoming year, in order to be liable for business rates.

Domestic Waste and Social Services: Vacancies

Sarah Owen: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the ability of local councils to fill vacancies in (a) social care and (b) refuse sectors; and what the cost per year is to local authorities of carrying vacancies in those sectors.

Lee Rowley: Local authorities work closely with providers in their local area to deliver social care, many aspects of which are provided by independent organisations and companies. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs leads on work relating to the refuse sectors.The Local Government Finance Settlement for 2023/24 makes available up to £59.7 billion for local government in England.

Prefabricated Housing: Repairs and Maintenance

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reintroducing grants to support the improvement and repair of Airey houses.

Rachel Maclean: We are working to address strategic barriers to further modern methods of construction growth in order to deliver more high quality new-build homes more quickly.The Government has no plans for a specific grant for Airey houses.

Parking: Fines

Matt Vickers: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to issue guidance to private parking companies on the appropriateness of levels of parking fines.

Sir James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has undertaken a business impact assessment of the proposed changes to the Private Parking Code of Practice in (a) Rochford and Southend East constituency and (b) England.

Sir James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the Terms of Reference for the consultation on the Private Parking Code of Practice.

Sir James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the timetable for the consultation on the Private Parking Code of Practice.

Rachel Maclean: The department is currently reviewing the levels of private parking charges and additional fees set out in the temporarily withdrawn Private Parking Code of Practice. As part of this review, we are carrying out an impact assessment and will consult before retaking new decisions on these elements of the Code.The assessment will consider all relevant impacts that arise from the new Code and will cover England, Scotland and Wales where the Code is going to applyFurther details will be set out in due course.

Conveyancing

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will update the Estate Agents Act 1979 to ensure that the security of the paper based system for the conveyancing of properties is retained.

Rachel Maclean: Last year we signalled our intention in the Levelling Up White Paper to work with industry to improve the home buying and selling process. We are currently developing a detailed plan to take this work forward, including digitalisation of the residential property sector and improving the quality of upfront information.

Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 135157 on Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential for Section 21 notices of possession to be used against end user tenants pursuing access to Energy Bills Support Scheme support through (a) landlords and (b) other intermediaries.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2023 to Question 135157 on Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant, whether his Department has made a recent assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to prevent the use of Section 21 notices against people pursuing access to Energy Bills Support Scheme support through (a) landlords and (b) other intermediaries.

Rachel Maclean: Landlords are not required to provide a reason when they serve a Section 21 notice. The Government is committed to abolishing Section 21 evictions via the Renters Reform Bill, which will give tenants greater security.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Public Expenditure

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to page 245 of the paper entitled Central Government Supply Estimates 2022-23: Supplementary Estimates, for what reason £830,166,000 was returned to HM Treasury in respect of the Capital Grant Budget; and which programmes were affected by the return of this money.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Central Government Supply Estimates 2022-23, page 245, for what reason £1,197,036,000 was surrendered to HM Treasury in respect of the Capital Financial Transactions Budget; and if he will list which programmes were affected by the surrender of this money.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Central Government Supply Estimates 2022-23, page 245, for what reason £492,999,000 was reprofiled from 2022-23 into 2023-24; and if he will list which programmes were affected by the reprofiling of this money.

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Central Government Supply Estimates 2022-23, page 245, for what reason £249,000,000 was reprofiled from 2022-23 into 2024-25; and if he will list which programmes were affected by that reprofiling.

Lee Rowley: In line with usual practice, some of the department’s budgets were reprofiled into future financial years to reflect latest delivery plans, while some was surrendered to HM Treasury in accordance with longstanding ringfence agreements. These have impacted a range of programmes, including the following: Building Safety Fund; Help to Buy Scheme; Levelling Up Home Building Fund; Home Building Fund; and Affordable Homes Programme.These are normal budget changes which reflect either demand or the latest delivery plan.An explanatory memorandum which provides an explanation of the largest budget movements between the Mains Estimate and Supplementary Estimate has been shared with the Select Committee and was published on 28 February 2023 and is available at the following link. The 2023-24 Main Estimate memorandum will be published in accordance with the Parliamentary schedule, expected to be late-April / May. Spend information for all DLUHC grant funded programmes is published annually. The next publication is scheduled for 30 March 2023. Annual accounts will also be published in due course.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Telecommunications: Prices

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference the Statement of Strategic Priorities for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services, published in July 2019, if she will make an assessment of compatibility of Ofcom’s intention to allow volume-based pricing discounts in the fixed line market with that Statement.

Julia Lopez: Through the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), the Government gave Ofcom a strategic priority to incentivise market competition. Ofcom must have regard to this SSP when taking regulatory decisions and has introduced a number of pro-competition measures both in its 2021 Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR) and beyond. We meet regularly with Ofcom at all levels to monitor how the regulator delivers on its strategic priorities.In relation to volume-based pricing discounts, the remedies set out by Ofcom in the WFTMR for downstream markets promote competition and investment in gigabit-capable networks. In all areas, Ofcom prohibits Openreach from using wholesale pricing structures to deter new network build by competing network operators by prohibiting certain geographic discounts and providing transparency of other commercial terms that may distort competition.Given Ofcom’s statutory independence, it would otherwise not be appropriate for the Government to comment on its regulatory decisions, which are taken independent of the government.

Telecommunications: Competition

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure effective competition in the fixed telecommunications infrastructure sector.

Julia Lopez: Increasing competition in the fixed telecoms market is integral to the Government’s strategy to deliver nationwide coverage of gigabit-capable broadband. Competition keeps prices low and standards high for consumers, whilst encouraging companies to build quickly. Through the 2018 Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review (FTIR) and the 2019 Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP), we brought forward substantive proposals to make it easier for new firms to enter the market and compete with the incumbent provider, such as granting competitors access to Openreach’s national network of ducts and poles. The SSP gives Ofcom a strategic priority to incentivise market competition.Ofcom must have regard to this SSP when taking regulatory decisions and has introduced a number of pro-competition measures both in its 2021 Wholesale Fixed Telecoms Market Review (WFTMR) and beyond. These measures include introducing the ‘fair bet’ principle to ensure firms have the opportunity to make higher returns when a risky investment is successful, and the introduction of ‘One Touch Switching’ to make it easier for consumers to switch broadband providers.As a result of our pro-competition policies, there is now a thriving market of over 80 providers investing nearly £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK. 74% of premises can access gigabit-capable networks, up from just one in ten in November 2019.

Telecommunications: Competition

Stephanie Peacock: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the number of network providers needed for effective competition in the fixed telecommunications infrastructure sector.

Julia Lopez: As a result of our pro-competition policies, there is now a thriving market of over 80 providers investing nearly £35bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK. Whilst we are in favour of sustainable long term competition, the Government does not have a view on the specific number of providers we would like to see. In the Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review, published in 2018, we estimated that at least a third of UK premises are likely to be able to support three or more competing gigabit-capable networks, with up to half likely to be able to support competition between two gigabit-capable networks.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Minimum Wage

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has contracted work to a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme in the last 3 years.

George Freeman: There is 1 live contract with a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme in the last 3 years. currently sits across both Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. The Supplier was procured supplier was procured from an audited and regulated government framework, that has public standard terms and conditions including legislation and statute compliance. The main compliance checks are undertaken by the framework owner/ buying authority and not the department. The department validates through supplier professional services rate cards and invoices for the hourly and daily rates of its professionals under this contract.Contract TitleMain ContractorContract End DateContract StatusTotal Contract ValuePower platform non clinical and clinical staffHays Specialist Recruitment Limited31 March 2023ACTIVE£97,500

Science: Finance

Wera Hobhouse: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department is taking steps to increase funding for (a) projects that involve the sophisticated use of human cells and tissues, (b) organ-on-a-chip technology, (c) (i) electroencephalography and (ii) other non-invasive approaches to recording brain activity and (d) other human-specific research into mental health disorders.

George Freeman: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds a portfolio of research projects involving humans, human materials, animal models, and non-animal technologies. For example, last year their Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research launched a £4.7 million joint funding call focussed on supporting next generation non-animal technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip. UKRI also funds a significant amount of research into non-invasive neuroimaging to advance our understanding of human brain and mental health. For instance, since 2010 their Medical Research Council has invested £3.8 million into non-invasive neuroimaging in mental health research.

Semiconductors: West Midlands

Saqib Bhatti: To ask Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government plans to take steps to support semiconductor manufacturers in the West Midlands in the context of the ongoing global semiconductor shortage; and what steps it is taking to encourage investment and innovation in the semiconductor industry in that region.

Paul Scully: On behalf of HM Government, DSIT has been reviewing the UK semiconductor sector, and intends to set out more detail in the forthcoming UK Semiconductor Strategy.The government is exploring how we can further support the UK semiconductor industry, protecting and growing existing UK capabilities - including in areas of existing strength such as semiconductor design, compound chips, and academic research in related fields. As part of this we are looking at how interventions through the semiconductor strategy can support the sector and encourage investment across the whole of the UK, including in the West Midlands.

Department for Business and Trade

Department for Business and Trade: Procurement

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many suppliers her Department excluded from procurement on the grounds of (a) fraud, (b) corruption and (c)  other grounds under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 from 2015 to 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: Department for Business and Trade indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Royal Mail: Industrial Disputes

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department is taking steps to help resolve the industrial dispute concerning Royal Mail.

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken steps to help resolve the industrial dispute concerning Royal Mail.

Kevin Hollinrake: The industrial relations dispute is a matter for Royal Mail, as a private company, and the Communication Workers Union to resolve.The Government is monitoring the industrial dispute closely and I strongly urge Royal Mail and the Communication Workers Union to continue negotiations to reach a resolution as soon as possible and minimise the disruption to consumers and businesses.

Postal Services: Universal Service Obligation

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department remains committed to maintaining Royal Mail’s Universal Service Obligation.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government’s objective continues to be ensuring the provision of a sustainable, accessible, and affordable universal postal service.The Government currently has no plans to change the minimum requirements of the universal postal service which are set out in the Postal Services Act 2011.

Members: Correspondence

Preet Kaur Gill: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she plans to respond to the letter dated 27 June 2022 from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston on people accompanied by an assistance dog in hospitality venues, public transport and private hire vehicles.

Kevin Hollinrake: The correspondence was transferred to the Department for Transport and has been responded to on 6th March 2023.

Small Business Commissioner

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she will publish the (a) results and (b) outcome of the consultation on increasing the scope and powers of the Small Business Commissioner that closed on 24 December 2020.

Kevin Hollinrake: Revision to the Small Business Commissioner’s powers, following on from the consultation in 2020, will be considered after the conclusion of the current wider payment and cash flow review, and statutory review of the Small Business Commissioner (SBC). The role of the SBC will also be explored as part of the wider review. We anticipate delivery of a conclusions document in 2023.

Redundancy Pay: Insolvency Service

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which companies had employees that received redundancy payments from the Insolvency Service in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022; and how many employees received payments in each instance.

Kevin Hollinrake: In 2021 there were 181 employers not subject to formal insolvency proceedings with 391 claims; and 4,769 employers subject to formal insolvency proceedings with 37,576 claims where a statutory redundancy payment was made by the Insolvency Service.In 2022 there were 164 employers not subject to formal insolvency proceedings with 500 claims; and 5,766 employers subject to formal insolvency proceedings with 31,447 claims where a statutory redundancy payment was made by the Insolvency Service.The names of employers subject to formal insolvency proceedings with more than 10 redundancy payments made are included in the attached tables.Employers with 10+ redundancy payments (pdf, 486.7KB)

Redundancy Pay: Insolvency Service

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many statutory redundancy payments were processed by the Insolvency Service in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: The number of individuals who received a statutory redundancy payment from the Insolvency Service was 37,830 in the 2021 calendar year and 31,815 in 2022.

Insolvency: Redundancy Pay

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the total cost to the public purse was of statutory redundancy payments processed by the Insolvency Service in (a) 2021 and (b) 2022.

Kevin Hollinrake: The total value of statutory redundancy payments made by the Insolvency service in the 2021 calendar year was £148,379.673 and in 2022 was £148,352,681.

Conditions of Employment

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if the Government will set a target for collective bargaining coverage of above 90 per cent.

Kevin Hollinrake: In the UK, collective bargaining is largely a matter for individual employers, their employees and their trade unions. Most collective bargaining in the UK takes place because employers have voluntarily agreed to recognise a trade union and bargain with it.Where an employer refuses to recognise a union voluntarily, the union can apply to the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) for statutory union recognition. This will be granted so long as the union can demonstrate majority support in the workplace.The Government believes this democratic approach is more appropriate than setting a target for collective bargaining coverage.

Industrial Action

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government plans to bring forward legislative proposals to enable secondary industrial action.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government believes that industrial action should only take place where there is a workplace dispute between a group of workers and their direct employer. Secondary action has proved to be very damaging to the UK economy in the past.That is why secondary action is prohibited under our trade union legislation. This ban on secondary action was upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in 2014.

Industrial Action: Internet

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government plans to enable trade unions to hold ballots for industrial action online.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is considering the Knight review recommendations on electronic balloting and will respond in due course.

Conditions of Employment

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, what steps she has taken to seek collective agreements with trade unions on minimum service levels.

Kevin Hollinrake: It is not for the Government to negotiate directly with unions on collective bargaining agreements. Those negotiations are for the parties involved, the unions and the direct employers. A number of employers in the public sector have successfully negotiated voluntary minimum service levels with unions, but that has not always been the case. That is why the Government is bringing in the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill to ensure that a minimum level of service is provided in the important public services specified in the Bill.

Strikes

Dan Carden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Government has plans to reduce the notice period required for strike action.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government has no plans to reduce the current two weeks’ notice period for industrial action which is necessary to enable employers to adequately prepare.

Trade Promotion: Uganda

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Uganda was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Algeria was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Singapore was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Tanzania was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Canada was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.

Nigel Huddleston: The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.Trade EnvoyCountryAppointment DateNumber of VisitsLord PopatUgandaJanuary 20169Lord RisbyAlgeriaNovember 201216Lord SarfrazSingaporeJanuary 20222Lord WalneyTanzaniaAugust 20213Dame Maria MillerCanadaMay 20221

Business Premises: Disability

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help ensure that (a) shops and (b) other high street businesses are accessible for disabled people.

Kevin Hollinrake: The disability provisions in the Equality Act 2010 require providers of services and facilities to the public to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ so that disabled people are not placed at a “substantial disadvantage” compared to non-disabled people. The reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty because it is owed to disabled people in general. This means that government expects people who provide goods, services, and facilities to members of the public, to anticipate the requirements of disabled customers and the adjustments that may have to be made for them.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Hydrogen: Licensing

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of the Australian government's change in policy on natural hydrogen licensing on (a) the global promotion of natural hydrogen and (b) the UK's prospects in harnessing natural hydrogen.

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to commission and collect evidence on the value of natural hydrogen.

Andrew Bowie: The UK aims to support multiple production routes in order to meet our ambition to have up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030. The Government is not aware of evidence to suggest natural hydrogen will make a significant contribution to the UK’s hydrogen production ambitions. However, the Government welcomes efforts from other countries that support the production and use of low carbon hydrogen, and is working with international partners on issues including natural hydrogen.

Renewable Energy

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help connect large and small manufacturers of renewable energy projects.

Andrew Bowie: All renewable energy projects greater than 300MW, and all Floating Offshore Wind projects bidding for support via a Contract for Difference must submit a Supply Chain Plan to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. In this plan, they must set out the actions they will take to improve their supply chain. Among these, applicants must set out how they are increasing the visibility of opportunities to make it easier for smaller firms to win contracts. They must also set out specifically how they are helping small and medium enterprises and new entrants into the renewables sector.

Small Modular Reactors

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what is the planned timescale for the type approval of small modular reactors; and when he plans for the first site to be announced.

Andrew Bowie: The Government intends to initiate a selection process in 2023, with the intention to enter negotiations with the most credible projects to enable a potential Government award of support as soon as possible. The Government will also develop a new National Policy Statement, which will cover the siting and policy framework for nuclear electricity generating infrastructure, including SMRs, beyond 2025 and will consult on this in due course.

Renewable Energy and Technology: Video Games

Deidre Brock: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what grants and programmes are available to help video games studios move to greener technology and energy.

Amanda Solloway: The Government keeps energy efficiency support for all non-domestic organisations under review. Existing initiatives which may be applicable include an exemption on business rates for green technology and providing grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The Government are reviewing what additional levers can be introduced to help organisations to be more energy efficient, including financial support. As part of this, the Government have launched a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce to help achieve our target to reduce our energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030.

Energy: Prices

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that energy unit prices in Merseyside are in line with the national average.

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make a comparative assessment of the impact of energy unit prices on people in (a) Merseyside and (b) the rest of the UK.

Amanda Solloway: Electricity and gas distribution charges, which are incurred by suppliers and passed through to consumers, vary regionally. These variations reflect the costs of maintaining and upgrading the distribution network in a specific area and the number of consumers between whom those costs are spread. This cost reflective approach helps to minimise overall network costs across Great Britain The price cap sets a limit on unit rates and standing charges, ensuring customers pay a fair price for their energy based on the true underlying costs of supplying it.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Minimum Wage

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has contracted work to a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme in the last 3 years.

Graham Stuart: Four contracts have been let with Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited which was named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme, within the last 3 years.

Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 135157 on Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a regulatory framework to ensure that tenants have access to information on intermediary landlord recipients of the Energy Bills Support Scheme so they know whether they should enter civil proceedings.

Amanda Solloway: The Government has not undertaken such an assessment. The Government does not hold data on which meter points receiving the Energy Bills Support Scheme are rented properties where the landlord receives the discount. The Government has already introduced regulations to require intermediaries to inform end users of benefits received from the Government’s energy affordability schemes and to pass on these benefits in a just and reasonable way. Where an intermediary has failed to meet their obligations, the end-user has the ability to pursue the civil debt through the courts.

Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 135157 on Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant, if his Department will define what reasonably practical equates to as a defined timescale in the context of the pass through requirement of the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Amanda Solloway: It is the responsibility of the intermediary to take reasonable steps to notify the end user in writing. This should be done within 30 days of the intermediary receiving the relevant scheme benefit (or 1 November 2022 for EBSS Great Britain and 12 January 2023 for EBSS Northern Ireland, if later). The information includes, the amount of scheme benefit received; the amount that the intermediary intends to pass on; when and how they will pass-through the benefit; and that the end user can recover amounts to which they are entitled to but do not receive as a civil debt.

Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February to Question 135157 on Energy Bills Rebate: Landlord and Tenant, whether his Department has created a framework to further define just and reasonable with reference to landlords passing on support through to end users under the Energy Bills Support Scheme.

Amanda Solloway: Intermediaries must pass on the Government support irrespective of how the end users pay for their energy. They can adjust the amount, and demonstrate why the amount is just and reasonable. For example, if a landlord has fully passed on the increased energy prices to their tenants, then it would be just and reasonable to pass on the full scheme benefit. Whereas, if they shielded their tenants from the impact of increased energy prices, they may retain some or all the benefit. The Government has published guidance which sets out illustrative examples of how the pass-through requirements can be calculated: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pass-through-requirements-for-energy-price-support-provided-to-intermediaries.

Energy Performance Certificates: Private Rented Housing

Alberto Costa: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the evaluation criteria used for Energy Performance Certificates for the private rental sector.

Graham Stuart: EPCs are intended to provide prospective buyers and tenants with a guide to the energy performance of different properties, in a way which is simple to understand and comparable between properties. The Government believes that energy certificates have an important role to play to improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings to enable the Government to meet its ambitious net zero carbon emission targets. The Department has commenced work on developing a future version of Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure (RdSAP), the methodology used to produce Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for existing dwellings. The Government is also working on proposals to improve EPC metrics, with a view to consulting on these later this year, taking into account the recently published proposals from the Climate Change Committee.

Energy: Conservation

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to fund (a) moves to low-carbon heating and (b) other home improvements in energy efficiency.

Graham Stuart: The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament on clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings, including through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, and Boiler Upgrade Scheme. In addition, £6 billion of new government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028. The new ECO+ scheme will be worth £1 billion and run from Spring 2023 – March 2026. The scheme will target a broader pool of households in the least efficient homes in lower council tax bands as well as the most vulnerable.

Energy Supply

Damien Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help secure the UK’s long-term energy needs.

Graham Stuart: As set out in the British Energy Security Strategy, the Government is increasing energy security by reducing our dependence on imported oil and gas. This means more home-grown energy, including the low carbon technologies required to deliver net zero. My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer noted in his Autumn Statement that the Government will set out further plans for energy security and delivering greater energy independence in due course.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme: Westminster City Council

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers have been issued to each constituency covered by Westminster City Council

Graham Stuart: Since the launch of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in May 2022 and up to the end of January 2023 a total of 7 vouchers were issued to the constituencies covered by Westminster City Council. These 7 vouchers comprised 5 in Westminster North and 2 in Cities of London and Westminster.

Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office: Procurement

Angela Rayner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many suppliers the Department excluded from procurement on the grounds of (a) fraud, (b) corruption and (c) any other grounds under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 between 2015 and 2022.

Alex Burghart: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Civil Servants: Pay

John Penrose: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Government has taken to implement the recommendation in the Boardman review on restricting the use of employer salary advance schemes for civil servants.

John Penrose: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government has taken to implement the recommendation of the Boardman review on prohibiting suppliers from referring to government contracts in marketing material without government consent.

Jeremy Quin: I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement Government Transparency and Accountability, put before the House by the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 15 July 2022. The statement sets out action already taken in relation to reports by the Committee on Standards in Public Life and Nigel Boardman and that further work continues.

Government Departments: Honours

John Penrose: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps the Government has taken to implement the recommendation of Boardman review on strengthening the oversight of the honours process within government departments.

Jeremy Quin: The Government will be responding to the Boardman review in due course.

Fraud

Pat McFadden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate with Cabinet colleagues of the total cost to the public purse of (a) fraud and (b) waste arising from (i) benefit fraud, (ii) contracts signed during the covid-19 pandemic and (iii) tax evasion in each of the last three years.

Jeremy Quin: The Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), established in August 2022, works with government departments and public bodies to understand and reduce the impact of fraud and error against the public sector. In line with the PSFA Mandate public bodies are required to report identified fraud and error loss figures to the PSFA. This is to aid transparency and fill the gaps in reporting. For this reason, the PSFA does not collect data on tax and welfare fraud and error losses, as these are published directly by HMRC and DWP respectively within their annual report and accounts process.Fraud measurement work in Covid-19 spending is ongoing and as such the PSFA does not currently have sufficient information to estimate levels of fraud and error across government Covid-19 contracts. The PSFA publication reporting fraud and error losses incurred by Government in 21/22, will be published in due course.

Government Departments: TikTok

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has provided guidance for (a) civil servants and (b) other people who work for Government departments on the use of TikTok on devices issued by their employers.

Damien Moore: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential security implications of the installation of TikTok on Government devices.

Alex Burghart: We continue to monitor potential threats to our systems and data and will not hesitate to take further action if necessary.With regards to potential security risks, His Majesty’s Government does not comment on these matters.

Coronavirus: Fraud

Pat McFadden: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an estimate of the total cost of (a) fraud and (b) error arising from (i) purchases of personal protective equipment, (ii) NHS Test and Trace, (iii) Government business support schemes, (iv) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, (v) the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and (vi) other aspects of the Government's response to the covid-19 pandemic.

Jeremy Quin: The Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), established in August 2022, works with government departments and public bodies to understand and reduce the impact of fraud against the public sector.Accounting Officers have primary responsibility for managing the risk of fraud in their department. They are accountable for understanding and managing the risk of fraud within the schemes and services they are responsible for delivering. As such, the latest estimates for potential fraud and error loss in the government’s Covid-19 support schemes can be found in departments’ Annual Reports and Accounts, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/annual-reports-and-accounts-for-central-government-departments.The latest information on post-event assurance for Test and Trace and PPE Procurement can be found within the Department for Health and Social Care's Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22 (paragraphs 761 – 774);Detail of The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s central estimate for estimated levels of fraud and error loss in the Bounce Back Loan Scheme can be found within their Annual Report and Accounts; andThe latest information on error and fraud from HM Revenue & Customs can be found within HMRC’s Error and Fraud in Covid-19 Schemes publication.

Rapid Response Unit

Sir Christopher Chope: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason the Cabinet Office Rapid Response Unit (a) collected and (b) stored personal data on the content of each of the interviews given by the hon Member for Christchurch on (a) 3 November 2020 with LBC, (b) 4 February 2021 with Newsnight, (c) 28 June 2021 with Times Radio, (d) 13 September 2021 with the BBC, (e) 1 December 2021 with The Daily Telegraph and (f) 6 December 2021 with Talk Radio.

Alex Burghart: The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Treasury

Tax Avoidance

Dave Doogan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2023 to Question 133676 on Tax Avoidance, how many people affected by the Loan Charge have contacted HMRC reporting symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression since 2017.

Victoria Atkins: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not collect or hold the personal and sensitive medical information requested. HMRC recognises that tax burdens can add significant pressures and that some taxpayers need extra help because of their individual needs or circumstances. HMRC is committed to identifying and supporting taxpayers who need extra help with their tax affairs. HMRC has guidance and training in place for its staff on how to identify taxpayers who need extra support, a dedicated telephone line for those seeking to exit a tax avoidance scheme and a debt helpline. Where appropriate, HMRC refers people to outside organisations that can provide further advice and support.

Fuels: Excise Duties

Ben Lake: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of an essential user rebate of 15ppl on fuel duty; and whether he has had recent discussions on that topic with representatives of the Road Haulage Association.

James Cartlidge: At Spring Statement 2022, in response to high fuel prices, the Government introduced a temporary 12-month cut to duty on petrol and diesel of 5p per litre. This represents a tax cut worth around £2.4 billion in 2022-23, benefiting anyone who consumes fuel across the UK – including the road haulage and coach sector. Compared to uprating fuel duty in 2022-23, cutting fuel duty to this level saves the average UK haulier over £1,500, based on average fuel consumption. All taxes remain under review and the Chancellor will confirm policy in the Budget in the Spring, as was the case in previous years. Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel

Treasury: Procurement

Angela Rayner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many suppliers his Department excluded from procurement on the grounds of (a) fraud, (b) corruption and (c) other grounds under the Public Contract Regulations 2015 from 2015 to 2022.

James Cartlidge: HM Treasury does not hold a central register of suppliers who may have been excluded from bidding for contracts with the department.

International Monetary System

Liam Byrne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what commitments the Government has made to share or re-channel the UK’s allocation of IMF Special Drawing Rights.

Andrew Griffith: I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 6 March to his Question 153706.

Gin

Charlotte Nichols: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps in the Spring Budget 2023 to support small gin distilleries.

James Cartlidge: On 19 December, I announced that the Government would extend the freeze to UK alcohol duty rates for six months to 1 August 2023. If any changes to duty are announced then, they will not take effect until 1 August 2023. This will align with the introduction of the alcohol duty reforms and ensure gin distilleries will face just one single industry wide change in the summer. Gin distilleries also benefit from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme and will continue to receive discount on their energy bills until 31 March 2024 under the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme.

Mortgages

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the LSE report entitled Releasing the mortgage prisoners: Proposed solutions and illustrative costings, published 1 March 2023, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of that report's findings.

Andrew Griffith: The Government understands that being unable to switch your mortgage can be extremely stressful. The Government has consistently committed to looking for practical and proportionate options where they will deliver genuine benefits for affected mortgage borrowers, and where interventions are fair to borrowers in the active market, and to taxpayers. We will consider the proposals put forward in this very recently published report carefully.

Sanctions: Russia

Pat McFadden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the (a) total number and (b) combined value of all specific licences granted by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation for purposes of legal services under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 since 24 February 2022.

Pat McFadden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the (a) total number and (b) combined value of all specific licences granted by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation for purposes of legal services under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022 since the Legal Fees General Licence came into effect on 28 October 2022.

James Cartlidge: The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) publishes the number of financial sanctions licences issued in its Annual Review. Information about the total number of licences and the total number of legal fees licences that OFSI has granted for the last five financial years can be found in OFSI’s Annual Review documents, which are publicly available on OFSI’s website. OFSI will publish the latest figures in the next Annual Review in due course. OFSI does not publish details about individual licences granted, including source and quantum of funds licensed.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food: Production

Ian Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of import controls in place to support the UK's domestic food production; and what the status of those controls are.

Mark Spencer: In April 2022, the UK Government decided not to introduce the final set of planned controls on EU imports. We have instead worked with industry to develop a new model for imports into Great Britain. The new Border Target Operating Model (TOM), to be published later this year, will set out how GB’s new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regime for imports will operate in full. The TOM will balance the need to protect our biosecurity with the need to support businesses with import processes that are as simple as possible. Ahead of TOM publication, we have already implemented some controls on the highest risk goods such as plants for planting and live animals. In addition, all regulated SPS goods must be electronically pre-notified before arrival into GB. We still operate the same import health controls on non-EU goods entering GB that applied whilst we were in the EU, except for certain commodities which present a negligible risk. Defra continually monitor threat levels from biosecurity risks, and respond accordingly. Full details of current import controls and the commodities to which they apply are published on Gov.uk.

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February to Question 146809 on Agriculture: Seasonal Workers, who is responsible for the welfare of seasonal workers who no longer have a scheme operator due to the removal or suspension of their licence.

Mark Spencer: The welfare of the people using our visa schemes is always of paramount importance to us, including in the Seasonal Worker scheme.In the event that a scheme operator for the Seasonal Worker routes became unlicensed for any reason, the Home Office will consider each case on its own merits and tailor its response accordingly. Defra will, where appropriate, support the Home Office in delivering this response. We do not comment on specific cases.

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2023 to Question 146808 on Agriculture: Seasonal Workers, if she will make an assessment of the accuracy of the register of licensed sponsors.

Mark Spencer: The licensed sponsors for all work immigration routes are listed on the Register of Licensed Sponsors: www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-workers.This is updated every day to ensure accuracy.

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish increased transparency data on the seasonal worker visa scheme.

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the transparency of the seasonal worker scheme.

Mark Spencer: The government will continue to provide transparency of the Seasonal Worker visa route. Defra and the Home Office will soon jointly publish information about the annual surveys of workers undertaken in 2020 and 2021, and information about the visa route covering these same years later in 2023. The Home Office already publishes quarterly immigration statistics on GOV.UK, and the government published a review of the first year of the seasonal workers pilot in 2019 Seasonal workers pilot review 2019 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Women and Equalities

Epilepsy: Family Planning

Cat Smith: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to support women with epilepsy to make informed family planning choices and have safe pregnancies.

Maria Caulfield: Tighter restrictions continue to reduce the number of pregnancies exposed to sodium valproate and support women to make informed choices. The MHRA and Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) has announced it will introduce tighter restrictions to reduce pregnancies exposed to sodium valproate, including the recommendation for no new patients under 55 years of age to be prescribed valproate unless two specialists independently consider and document that no other medicine is effective or tolerated.

Disability: Customers

Richard Foord: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure companies make reasonable adjustments for customers with a disability.

Stuart Andrew: The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people’s access to goods and services, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty, meaning that those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require, including auxiliary aids. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has produced guidance for service providers on reasonable adjustments and its Statutory Codes of Practice provide more detailed information on the legal responsibilities of service providers and employers to make such adjustments.

Equality Act 2010

Alison McGovern: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to implement section 1 of the Equality Act 2010.

Stuart Andrew: The Government has no plans to commence Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 in England. As merely a “due regard” duty, it requires no specific action from the public body concerned, and risks becoming a tick-box exercise, complied with to minimise the risk of litigation rather than to promote real change in society. The duty is also wrongly focussed on equalising socio-economic outcomes rather than opportunities. The Government’s preferred approach is to progress specific policies and practical actions that will deliver real change.

Men: Crimes of Violence and Domestic Abuse

Mr Philip Hollobone: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on ensuring sufficient focus on men and boys who are victims of sexual violence, domestic abuse and other forms of interpersonal violence.

Miss Sarah Dines: We recognise that men and boys can be victims of these crimes and are committed to providing them with the support they need. In March 2022 we published our supporting male victims policy document, which contains commitments to strengthen our response to male victims. This financial year, we are also providing up to £200,000 funding to Respect to help run the Men’s Advice Line, who supported over 10,000 calls last financial year.

Women: Employment

Ruth Jones: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps the Government is taking to support women’s equality in the workplace.

Kevin Hollinrake: The Government is determined to support women in the workplace. We are supporting several Private Members’ Bills which will improve their employment rights. These include Bills which will extend redundancy protections for pregnant women, give employees better access to flexible working and strengthen protections against sexual harassment.

STEM Subjects: Females

Julian Knight: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help increase the number of women in STEM jobs.

Maria Caulfield: We’ve made great progress in increasing the number of girls studying STEM subjects but we need to do more to get women into STEM roles to meet the demands of today’s workforce. To support that we have launched a new STEM returners pilot that will encourage those who have taken a break to care for others back into work – giving them the opportunity to refresh and grow their skills in sectors where their talents are most needed. Announced on International Day of Women and Girls in Science by the Minister for Women and Equalities, the STEM ReCharge pilot will provide personalised employability support to technology and engineering returners in the Midlands and the North of England. It will also provide support and training for STEM employers on supportive returner hiring and inclusive recruitment practices. By supporting STEM returners, there is a significant opportunity to increase the number of women in STEM jobs, address skills shortages and boost our economy.